My superhero
by iris0011
Summary: Ichihime short stories collection. Light fluff. Just for pure enjoyment... Please read and review! 11TH STORY: ...for Tanabata
1. Chapter 1

_Author's notes: Hi! This I intend to be an IchiHime short stories collection. I felt like writing something lighter after all the seriousness I've done lately... (Don't worry, I'm still going to continue "Prices to pay", and I'm saving the short story I promised as a price for my guessing game :-)) _

_The stories posted here will contain pure fluff, with no real plot. _

_Setting will wary._

_Enjoy the first! This one can take place before Orihime's kidnap, or after Ichigo's got his powers back... it fit's anywhere..._

My superhero...

Orihime stood on the very edge of the little clearing. The forest was a dark haze. Her two hands were pressed together as though in prayer, as she looked up at the night sky. The stars and the moon gave her enough light to see every detail of the battle above her. She winced every time the hollow attacked, even though she was sure that there was no way it would be able to do any harm.

Ichigo was flying through the air confidently, graceful as a bird. To Orihime it seemed more like a dance rather than a fierce fight. Her mouth slightly parted. Her eyes were round and shining, and her cheeks flushed with a rosy color. She couldn't, she wouldn't look away...

Somewhere in the back of her mind it bothered her a little that while she was afraid (that was the normal reaction, wasn't it?) she seemed to be rather enjoying the fight... Watching him display such force, such speed, such accuracy, such dominance...

She felt a certain pride... though this wonderful man didn't belong to her, she certainly belonged to him. Even if he was still ignorant about that... She will never have enough courage to tell him about her feelings. He was so above her... In her opinion, there current situation really was a good metaphor to there relationship: with him flying up on the sky freely, and her down, only watching and longing, with no means to follow...

The earth and the sky... and the two never touch...

A memory came back to her, from her early childhood. Her brother Sora used to take her to the park when ever he had had time, and along the way there had been a stairs with a little balustrade were she always must be jumped down. She would go back, and jump down again and again, aiming higher and higher with every jump.

_'If I keep practicing...' _she had told Sora with a serious face. _'… and if I really-really want it, then some day I might just grow a pair of wings, and fly!' _

This memory now brought a little sad smile on her face.

Finally Ichigo pierced the hollow's ugly masked skull right through with Zangetsu. He remained standing in mid air for a second longer, before turning, and landing skillfully next to Orihime.

'Few! That's over! Where is Chad and Ishida?'

Orihime was still zoned out, so he didn't get any answer from her. It didn't really matter, he knew anyway from the feel of there spiritual pressures that they were just a little farther into the forest, finishing there own fights. He was not worried in the slightest about the outcome, and saw no need to interfere. He put Zangetsu back onto his back.

His eyes fell on the girl before him. He searched her beautiful features in the dim light. She still looked kind of out of it – which really was quite common for her – but he still began to wonder vaguely if the fight had scared her...

'Yo! What's up?' he asked as kindly as he could, while feeling uncomfortable.

'Eh... What? I'm sorry, Kurosaki-kun! I was just thinking... hehehe... daydreaming...'

'Thinking?'

'Yes! You know, about flying!'

No, from the look in his eyes, he didn't know... She put out her two arms to imitate wings.

'I have always wanted to fly! It must be so amazing! To be able to see everything from up there!' her voice was ecstatic, and her eyes shining with enthusiasm. 'I've never even been on an airplane before... and only once on a racket, but that was only a dream, so I guess that doesn't count either... But flying like you do... that could be the best! Is it not? The speed... wind rushing past you... I would so like to try it someday!'

Ichigo stared at her dumbfounded for a few moments, not sure if he could take her completely serious. But then again it was Inoue, of course she would dream of something like that.

'Is flying really that important to you?' he asked seriously.

She didn't know why he asked this, but colored a little anyway. Being able to fly would mean she would be one step closer to him...

'… well... yes...'

Ichigo nodded. He went closer to her, and without any warning he grabbed her, and lifted her up into his arms. She squeaked.

'… Kurosaki-kun?'

'Well why didn't you say so before? I can take you fly any time you want!'

'But... no... you don't have to do this for me...' she was mortified. She just told him about her wish, her dream. And he took it as a request... She was blushing madly. She was in his arms...

'It's nothing...' Ichigo answered lightly. He was smiling. 'So, dear passengers, it's your Captain speaking. Welcome aboard Zangetsu-air flight no 1. We are about to take off. Please keep your seat-belts fastened at all times!'

Orihime giggled. She had never heard him deliberately joking before. It was odd...

The next moment Ichigo really took off, flying above the top of the trees with one dash. Even with her weight it was effortless for him. Orihime screamed a little. Ichigo grinned. He paused in mid air, to let her take a look around, and felt joy as he looked at her shining face.

'Wow! So amazing...' she breathed.

Ichigo surprised her by suddenly lunching themselves forward with speed, earning an other scream from her. He grinned even more. It felt so good to behave a little reckless for a change, to play a little. He was too damn collected and responsible most of the time for his age.

And somehow, hearing that he made her scream like that felt good. It was not a scared scream at all, more like exhilarated, and halfway it turned into laughter. He wanted to hear it again... so he took up speed, and tried out a kind of spiral with her now. The effect was an even more prolonged delightful scream...

He took even more courage and dive-bombed down towards the ground, turning at the last second, and then going up again. She remained silent this time, and he looked down concernedly, fearing he'd gone too far, and she was unwell now. But her eyes were clear and shining like a child's. She had complete faith in him and wasn't afraid. She abandoned every restraint, and looked up at him without even the smack of being timid.

'More!... Faster!... Higher!' she pleaded in a tone that was impossible to resist. They played like this for quite a long time, screaming and laughing, completely at ease. Ichigo enjoyed it just as much as her. He never before allowed himself the luxury of using his own powers for just the fun of it.

Orihime had worked her magic on him, and made him feel younger, taking him back to long forgotten times – times with the sun always shining... without any worries... It was a long time since he had felt this way.

'Does it even occur to them that while he is in spirit form, she is visible to all humans?'

Uryu and Chad had been standing in the shadow of a tree near by for some time now, watching the show quietly. Of course it was the Quincy disapproving...

'Give them a brake... nobody is here to see them... we're far from town, and it's late...' the giant man told him. But Uryu still continued to throw dark looks up to the sky.

Ichigo choose this moment to drop Orihime down from high, letting her fall freely for a few seconds before catching her again. Her delightful scream echoed far above the treetops.

'Tsk! Show-off...' Uryu muttered pushing his glasses higher up on his nose.

Finally the giggly pair landed before there two friends. To anybody not knowing what really went on they must have seemed drunk. Orihime even staggered after Ichigo put her back onto her own feet, and would have fallen over had he not caught her again...

'Whow! Steady! Steady!' he laughed.

Orihime – though still very dizzy – collected herself and indeed managed to stand steady for a moment... before failing and falling down on her bottom. Both laughed.

'We must definitely do this again some time! Oh... when will the trees stop spinning?' Orihime said.

Ichigo looked down on the princess with an unusually soft expression on his face.

'It seems you'll be needing jet an other ride today... a ride home!' and he just simply took her back into his arms and began to walk home with her. There two friends followed a few steps behind.

Ichigo grinned again. He had never wanted to put her down in the first place... and now they still had a long way to go...

_Hope you enjoyed reading this as much as I enjoyed writing it!Please review!_


	2. Protect, forever

_Author's Notes: Thanks for all your reviews! Here comes the second short story. It takes place during the 17 month of Ichigo's power loss, after the battle with Aisen. I actually like this one a LOT!_

_If you were missing the scowling Ichigo from the last one, you'll gonna enjoy this... _

Protect, forever

'Ishida-kuuuun!'

Orihime ran after the familiar form of her Quincy friend. She had to yell loud, because he was running so quickly that she had a hard time keeping up. Chad was even before him. The two boys turned back towards her, slowing down, but not stopping. She caught up with them, panting.

'Inoue-san! Please go back... we can handle this...' Uryu said.

'No! I want to come!'

School just ended for the day, and they were all heading there separate ways home, when they had felt some hollowish spiritual pressure. Uryu now looked at Orihime's grimace, that was supposed to show her determination. The girl had been like this ever since Kurosaki had lost his powers... He didn't think it was a good idea for her to fight, but who was he to tell her no?

They arrived at the scene of attack, and saw three hollows randomly raging there.

'Good!' said Orihime, brightening up. 'One for each of us!'

Uryu looked at Chad for support, but the big giant had already nodded his consent to the eager girl. He had always been supportive of Orihime fighting. It was not like he didn't care for her, quite the opposite. The two had learned to awaken there powers together under Yoruichi's guidance at first, and there was probably not an other person who knew better then Chad what having these powers really meant to the healer-princess... And the devotion for the same man inspired them...

So the three friends separated, and chased down the hollows, each alone.

Orihime's hollow took her a little away from the rest, into a narrower street. This hollow was not a large one, but it had ridiculously long arms with huge fists, and it was swinging them around madly. Looked like an overgrown, misshapen gorilla.

_'All right...'_ she thought. _'This should be simple... I only have to... eek!'_ She was only collecting her courage for an attack, when the monster already came at her. Her triangular santen kesshun shield saved her though in time. _'I can't believe it! I hesitated again! I can't afford being soft any more... I have to prove myself... ' _

She straightened up and looked the hollow in the eyes firmly. She raised her hands before herself, palms facing out.

'Koten Za...'

But she didn't finish. A woman appeared on the street's corner opposite her, pushing her baby in a pushchair. Orihime was afraid to fire Tsubaki with somebody else in the way too. Her attacking power was the hardest for her to control... But this was the second time she hesitated, and this time she payed the price: one of the hollow's large fists came down upon her hard, and smashed her fragile body into the nearest building's side. The unknown woman screamed and gripping the handle of the pushchair, she ran from the scene terrified.

Orihime hit her head pretty bad. Her vision was becoming blurry. She could see the hollow advancing, and tried to struggle up, but knowing it was useless... her body was not complying... she closed here eyes as the beast raised it's huge fist above her for an other blow...

But then she heard a soft hissing voice, followed by an explosion and a huge skip in spiritual pressure from the other side of the street. The hollow's attention was caught immediately: this new source of spiritual pressure was just the taste it liked the best... the monster went to investigate.

But it could take only a few steps, before the sweet smelling pressure disappeared, just as abruptly as it came. The hollow roared in frustration. It's disappointed eyes fell on the lone man standing near the corner.

This man was tall, and his eyes were narrowed dangerously under his ridiculous looking spiky mane of orange hair. But the hollow could sense no spiritual pressure about him whatsoever. He was no threat. But that didn't matter, the hollow was going to kill him anyway, for interrupting his meal.

Ichigo Kurosaki just stood there waiting... he knew he would get no warning of the attack. He couldn't see, couldn't hear where the enemy was. And he knew that even if the hollow grabs him, he won't be able to fight back. But he wasn't afraid for himself. His only concern was to lure the hollow away from Inoue...

He felt the faintest trace of movement in the air, and raised his bare right hand over himself protectively on instinct, and tried to jump out of the attack's range. The next moment he felt a sharp pain, and blood sprayed from his lifted hand. He grinned broadly, not caring about the pain. His plan had worked. Now he knew the hollow was following him.

_'Wow, these silly decoys of Urahara really work!' _he thought.

After he had waken up from his coma he had had a really uncomfortable meeting with the mad shopkeeper, who gave him some "hollow-scaring equipment" insisting he might need it. He had made himself famous in most parts of Hueco Mundo, and many hollows would gladly kill him, not caring the slightest about his power-loss...

_'Of course...'_ Urahara had said lightly. _'… such toys are useless against higher level hollows, so I'd rather you didn't need to use them, but it would still give me a peace of mind to know you are carrying these...'_

Ichigo had used one of the spiritual pressure emitting decoys the shopkeeper had given him. They were supposed to be used to give the user an opportunity to escape. Ichigo now started to run away, praying that the hollow would follow him. But apparently he was not fast enough... he felt himself being lifted up, and the air being squeezed out of his lungs...

'Koten Zanshun!'

He could hear her voice, and could almost picture Tsubaki flying forward and cutting the hollow completely in two. He fell back to the ground, choking. Seeing him in danger, Orihime had finally found her determination and fired the attack with her last bit of strength. After the hollow vanished her features quickly changed back into that of pain, before she was overcome, and also fell down, fainting.

'Inoue!'

…...

She opened her eyes. She still felt dizzy. It was dark. _'Where am I? And what happened?'_ she asked herself. The room she was in looked vaguely familiar... and this smell... it almost felt like...

'You aren't making this easy, you know!' a scowling voice told her from a corner. Looking over she saw Ichigo sitting next to the bed she was lying on. He was occupied with wrapping his own hand with a large bandage. Of course they were in his bedroom...

'You choose to take on a hollow all alone... really! What were you thinking?'

Orihime sat up a little, but her head hurt. Reaching up she felt a bandage covering her forehead.

'Were you following me?' she asked in a shaky, surprised voice.

'Of course I were! I'm not blind, you know!' he sounded irritated, and was still scowling deeply. 'Though you three never talk about it, I know you continue hunting hollows, and if you happen to run past me with such a put on expression I can tell what it's all about! Now just tell me!' his voice became cutting like steel. 'How am I supposed to keep my promise to you, if you are behaving so recklessly?' he glared at her angrily.

'Eh...?' she blinked a few times, and her mouth was hanging open.

'… or did you think that loosing my powers would make me go back on what I promised you?'

Of course he didn't need to tell her what promise he was talking about. Orihime's cheeks instantly flashed a deep crimson color as she remembered. She remembered that scene like it happened yesterday, though in truth it was almost over a year ago now...

The school-yard... Rukia making Ichigo bow before her in apology... and his words...

_'…I will get stronger! So that next time... I will definitely protect you!'_

Ichigo raised, and went to sit on the very edge of the bed. This took Orihime by surprise, and she couldn't help trembling a little at his closeness in this intimate setting... He looked at her with a wild glint in his eyes. She gulped. This very look could scare a bunch of hollows into hiding...

'Now... repeat after me!' Ichigo ordered her in a dangerously slow and clear, though quiet voice. 'I...'

He leaned a bit closer to her, and his eyes held her gaze firmly.

'I...I..' Orihime somehow managed to stutter on even that one note.

'… will never again...' his face was even closer now...

'… will never again...' Orihime whispered mechanically. His intense brown orbs were threatening to swallow her up. He was very-very close...

'… behave so recklessly!'

She could feel his breath on her face now, his lips only inches away from hers'. Her mind had shut down, and the words never came out. She closed her eyes, tilting her head a little, waiting for him to close that little distance, waiting for the miracle...

She didn't know how long they stayed like this. She was still waiting...

The sound of a small pebble hitting the window next to them broke them apart. Her eyes immediately dropped down in mortification.

'… it's Ishida-kun and Sado-kun...' she informed Ichigo, as soon as she found her voice. She knew he couldn't feel this through the way of spiritual waves. 'They must have felt I'm here, and probably want to know if I'm ok...' She wanted to raise herself, so she could look out the window, and talk to them. But Ichigo grabbed her arm firmly and pushed her right back to the bed. She gave a surprised squeak.

Ichigo himself opened the window, and looked out into the dark street.

'Yo! What do you want?'

'Inoue?' Uryu asked uncertainly.

'Lost her have you?' Ichigo scowled.

The Quincy became irritated at once.

'Just tell us if she's all right, damn it! We're worried here!'

'If she is, it's no thanks to you, Four-eyes!'

'What happened?' Came Chad's more tranquil voice. He knew that if Ichigo is wasting time on rude comments, that must mean Orihime is no longer in danger.

Orihime now managed to get up, and struck her bandage-warped head out of the window next to Ichigo's.

'I'm perfectly all right, thank you Ishida-kun! Kurosaki-kun saved me!'

Uryu and Chad jumped up a little at hearing this, both shooting up confused, unbelieving stares at them. Ichigo sighed in annoyance.

'Keep your pants on, Ishida! I haven't got my powers back, or anything... but I still have my common sense!'

'Like you ever had any to begin with...' muttered the Quincy.

'What was that again?' Ichigo demanded.

'Nothing... just how the hell did you do it then, Kurosaki?'

Ichigo grinned huge.

'Interested, are you? I acquired a magic wand lately!' he taunted the Quincy. He would never ever confess that he had to resort to Urahara's cheap tricks... that would be humiliating...

'Well anyway...' Chad spoke up. '… the main thing is that Inoue-san is all right.'

'All right?' Ichigo asked indignantly. He grabbed the poor girl not too kindly for the second time that evening. She reacted just as surprised as before. He pulled her to the front, pushing her hair out of the way with his other hand to show the others just how large that bandage is. Chad's eyes widened and Uryu began to cough madly at seeing him manhandle the girl like that. 'Does this look like "all right" to you Chad?'

'It doesn't really matter, Kurosaki-kun... you know I can heal myself.' Orihime tried to plead.

But this was obviously the wrong thing to say. His nostrils flared.

'Doesn't matter?... '

'Ichigo...' Chad tried again. 'I'm sorry we left Inoue-san alone, but she said she could handle it... next time...'

'I trust there will be no next time!' Ichigo said firmly looking at Orihime, who averted his gaze, embarrassed.

'Don't you think you're acting pretty damn possessive today, Kurosaki?' Uryu asked angrily. 'Like she belonged to you in some way...'

For an instant Ichigo wore a not too intelligent grimace as he thought his former rival's words over. 'Belonged to me...' he whispered distractedly to himself, but Orihime was able to hear it, and her heart was beating furiously against her chest.

Then a huge grin spread over Ichigo's face.

'Yeah... you are right, Ishida! I'm glad we've sorted this out! Now make sure you take more care with my belongings in future, Quincy! Good Night!' And with that, he closed the window with a bang, right onto there astonished faces...

_Author's Notes: Ahhh! Possessive Ichigo... just how I like him best... _

_(Oh, and sorry about Orihime being trolled so easily, but I think she'd rather stay with healing, I don't want her becoming all tough...)_

_What do you think? Should I try to add a second part to this one? Please give me plot suggestions for it, if you want to! _

_And review, always, because that makes me so happy!_


	3. Dance

_Author's Notes: Thanks to everyone who reviewed on the last one! I decided against making that a two-shoots... I tried to write the second part, but realized I liked it best how it was._

_About this story, I admit it may not be very original (what could be about a wedding?), but hey, I was only having fun! _

_Setting: I don't really know, but since Tatsuki knows about Ichigo being a soul reaper I guess it's after the war..._

Dance

(aka: "Kon's big chance" - pick your own title... :-)

'Ichigo!' Isshin's voice shouted.

'…'

'Ichi-nii!' That was Karin.

'Coming! Coming!' he shouted back annoyed.

Ichigo was in his room fighting a desperate battle with the knot of his tie... and loosing badly. He simply hated dressing up. And he hated weddings. But it was Tatsuki's older sister getting married, and he had promised to show his childhood friend moral support – Tatsuki hated weddings same as him. The whole Kurosaki family was invited. Yuzu was practically skipping with enthusiasm since morning, and his father was also ecstatic. Karin of course remained calm, but she had still taken the trouble of getting herself a pretty new dress for the occasion.

'Ichigoooo!' Isshin's voice was even louder now. 'Get your sorry ass down here this instant, my son! If you don't, than I will send Tatsuki-chan to beat you down, even if you're still in your underwear!'

Tatsuki and Orihime both waited next to the open front door, both in party dresses, ready to leave. They were all going together. The former gave Isshin a mischievous grin while the latter blushed madly at his earlier comment.

'Um... Does she know how to tie a freaking tie properly?' Ichigo shouted back. 'Because if she does, just send her right up!' He was really annoyed now, and it was all her fault anyway. He decided to give up on the tie altogether, and stuffed it into his pocket swiftly. He checked his suit's other pockets to ensure he had his mobile and more importantly his substitute soul reaper badge on him. He heard a soft rustle from the direction of his bedroom's door. He turned believing it to be Tatsuki. He froze as his eyes fell on the exceptional beauty standing opposite him.

Orihime wore a light blue dress, that tied at her neck, leaving a huge portion of her creamy, spotless skin exposed at her shoulders and at her back. It's waist-line emphasized her perfect hour glass figure nicely. Her hair was tied loosely up into a bun, and wavy locks escaped from it here and there to frame her face. She was even wearing a light makeup, one that was almost invisible, but added to her beauty. Her hairpins were in place, near her temples, there color matching the dress.

Ichigo opened his mouth and then closed it, but no words came out. He knew he must seem like a total idiot for just glaring at her like that. _'Say something, Idiot... anything!'_ he mentally scolded himself.

But she beat him to it.

'Ah... um... sorry Kurosaki-kun... do you still need help with the tie?' she asked him timidly, blushing.

His hand moved automatically to his pocket drawing out the hateful object, and holding it up, showing it to her. Orihime was yanked out of her embarrassment immediately, and started to giggle.

'Oh, no! Now look what you've done to poor Tie-san! He's all creasy! You have practically murdered him!'

She went to him and took the piece of clothing, smoothing it out, caressing the fine silk of it with gentle hands as if she'd want to make it up to it. Ichigo was looking at her dumbly, then cleared his throat to finally say something.

'So, I take it you know how to tie a tie?'

She nodded, smiling.

'Yes. My brother taught it to me. He used to wear a tie to work every day, and I had watched him tie it each morning, until one day I asked him to teach me. After that, he had always let me do it for him...'

While she spoke she placed the tie around his neck and worked on the knot with sure hands. A small, lovely smile was gracing her lips, as she remembered. Ichigo felt a strange hotness spread through all his body when her small hands fiddled around his neck...

'There... you are ready, Kurosaki-kun!'

'Thanks!' he sighed relived.

'We'd better hurry now, the others are waiting!' she said with spirit. She already turned and was heading towards the door when Ichigo called after her.

'Inoue!'

She turned back, her eyes questioning him.

'You... you look nice...' he said awkwardly.

Her stomach flipped as a thousand butterflies just took wings inside her.

'Thank you!' she whispered.

They stared at each other fondly, but the moment was soon broken...

'Nice?' a new voice asked indignantly. 'That's not the word I would use!' Kon was standing in the open closet door. Ichigo had completely forgotten about the cursed mod-soul. 'The lovely gorgeous Orihime-chan! Wonderful valley of organza covered paradise! Oh how I long to...'

Ichigo smashed the closet door right into the lion plushy's face.

'Sorry about that...' he apologized to Orihime.

But Kon wasn't going to give up so easily this time. He emerged, red faced, and angry.

'Hey, that's not fair! You're going to a wedding! There's bound to be a couple of eligible girls at an occasion like that! You're having all the fun around here! You have to take me with you!'

'No way!'

'But I'm bored! And... and what if a hollow shows up? You absolutely must take me!'

Ichigo thought this over. In case of an emergency, it would indeed be better to substitute himself with Kon, than have the party crashed over his seemingly death... Kon sensed victory was near...

'I promise to behave myself! Cross my heart!' he added in his most pleading voice.

'Oh, all right then... but if you put one toe out of line, I'll make Yuzu wash you in the machine again!'

It took a few moments for them to arrange things because Ichigo refused to carry Kon in any way that would make him visible to anyone, and of course he couldn't come on his own legs... Orihime finally found a discarded handbag of Yuzu's decorated with beads, and offered to carry him herself. That of course instantly made all Kon's previous dislike towards such a girly container disappear, and he eagerly jumped in. Ichigo closed the zipper firmly over his head.

…... …...

An hour and a half and a quite usual ceremonial later they were walking to the hotel, in which's garden the party was held. Isshin was having the time of his life, already courting some lady acquaintances of the family... His children took care to walk a nice distance away from him, least they would be associated in any way with the old goat...

Yuzu and Karin befriended two little cousins of Tatsuki, around 4 or 5 years old, and were entertaining them. This left Orihime, Tatsuki and Ichigo to walk together, and converse freely.

'Man! I'm glad it's over!' Tatsuki yawned, and stretched leisurely. She really hated weddings in general, but today was even worse: her older sister had always been the "little princess" in the family. There mother positively doted on her. She was perfect in every way: beautiful, gentle, kind, as a girl should be. Tatsuki could never compete with her. Maybe that's why she had chosen to be so boyish, so rough at an early age... Her mother had been proud of her when she had won the flattering title of the second strongest girl in Japan, but her eyes hadn't been shining with the same adoration her elder daughter received from them when she saw her in a pretty new dress...

'Me too! At least it was short!' Ichigo agreed with her.

'I can't understand what anybody could dislike in a wedding...' wondered Orihime aloud, with a slight frown on her face.

'Flowers and ridiculous bows everywhere, uh!' Tatsuki shuddered.

'Sickeningly sweet music!' Ichigo added.

'Relatives crying fake tears...'

'Gigggly girls...'

'Dancing...'

'… oh, no! Don't even mention dancing! My father might hear you! He insisted last night that if I don't take all the girls present for a turn, that means I'm not a real man, and I'm a shame on the name of Kurosaki...' his scowl was set in place on his features. 'When I'll have my own thing, it will be much, much smaller... with possibly only two witnesses...'

Orihime looked at him confusedly.

'But wouldn't Yuzu-chan and Karin-chan want to be bride's maids?' she asked, looking before them, at the two teens happily playing with the kids.

Ichigo stopped in his tracks at this unexpected question. He was so taken aback, that he even slightly stuttered when answering.

'Well... I suppose... I haven't really given much thought to it... but it's not like I have to worry about it just yet...'

Tatsuki was momentarily overcome by a silent fit of giggles, but after she emerged from it, she leaned to Orihime's ears, and whispered:

'I bet, that YOU on the other hand had given MUCH thought to it!'

Orihime instantly turned as red as a tomato.

They reached the hotel and found themselves a nice table. Everything went smoothly and according to the average rules of a wedding with the dinner and the speeches, and the dancing started. Around 11 pm the company was getting louder and louder showing that huge amounts of alcohol were already consumed... Ichigo thought it was now safe to finally let Kon out from his pearly prison. He had been begging for hours now, and his whining was already straining the soul reaper's nerves. If anybody should see a walking lion plushy now the only consequence would be said person thinking twice before drinking an other glass of wine...

Orihime was dancing with Tatsuki, who did her best to protect her friend from too eager self proclaimed admirers. Ichigo totally avoided the dance floor so far, and hoped this would stay like this till the end. He had a reason for hating to dance: he simply sucked at it. But his luck had run out, because three Arisawa cousins were looking at him with obvious longing in there eyes no matter how much he scowled, and the stupid best man choose that moment to announce that girl's choice was coming up next...

He decided to make a run for it, and gripping his glass he raised quickly from the table. He bumped into someone in his haste.

'Sorry...' he muttered in embarrassment. Looking down he saw the massive body of an elderly woman, who looked up at him pushing her pearly pink framed glasses farther up her warty nose. Sweat-drops started to form on Ichigo's temple... he'd recognize this fool glasses anywhere...

_'Oh, no! Not her! Anything but her!' _he mentally growled. This was the same aunt of Tatsuki's that had haunted his dreams as a child. He had met her at the dojo: she used to come to pick her niece up after training. She had taken an interest in the "cute strawberry boy", and had showed her affection for him by painfully pecking his cheek any opportunity she got.

'Excuse me... Do I know you?' the woman asked him distractedly.

'No!'

'But yes... Oh! I remember! How nice! You are that Kurosaki boy my Tatsuki-chan befriended at her dojo! And what a nice man you have grown up to be! Just look at you! How cute!'

Ichigo blushed madly, and his eyes were darting to and forth, like a mouse trapped before a hungry cat, looking desperately for a way of escape.

'It's only fitting that I should have the honor of this dance! For happy memories!' she said, showing her yellowing teeth in a wide smile. Ichigo was horrified...

She didn't wait for an answer though, but gripped his arm so tight it hurt, and started hauling him over to the dance floor. Ichigo found himself weakly thinking that he would have done better with one of the cousins after all... but it was too late now.

As they passed a heavy curtain Ichigo heard Kon chuckle from behind it. The mod soul found his master's current situation highly entertaining...

'Good one, Ichigo! You've got the finest fish in the net!'

The woman guided Ichigo to the center, and placed his hands on herself accurately.

_'This is not happening... this is not fucking happening!'_ Ichigo cursed inwardly.

At that moment his substitute badge screamed loudly: _'Hollow! Hollow!'_

_'Oh! Thank God!'_ the relief he felt can't be described by words. Between a hollow and this "monster" before him he'd choose the hollow any time... at least he knew how to deal with that! He didn't think twice about what to do.

'Um... could you excuse me for just a minute?' he said to the lady, hurriedly, before jumping behind the curtain where Kon was hiding.

'No... you can't be serious...' the lion plushy looked at him with tears in his eyes.

'Oh yes I am! Now do your duty, mod-soul!' he whispered angrily, before pressing his substitute badge to the plushies body, and swallowing the pill that came out.

Moments later Kon emerged from behind the curtain in Ichigo's body, trembling from head to foot, as he looked at Tatsuki's scare-crow of an aunt...

…... …...

Half an hour later Tatsuki was returning to there table with fresh drinks. She was feeling awful: a bunch of her relatives just invaded her with: _'Oh, look how much you've grown!'_ and _'How's school?'_ and her favorite: _'When is your turn coming my dear?'_ She was really relieved to be free from them at last, but was still pissed. Her eyes searched for Orihime.

She was surprised to find Ichigo sulking in a corner, away from everybody, dressed as a soul reaper. She went to him immediately.

'What's happening? Is there danger around?' she asked.

'No. I already took care of it...' he answered in a gloomy tone that she failed to understand.

'But then... why don't you just go back to your own body?'

Ichigo pointed a finger towards the dance floor, scowling.

'Do you think I stand a chance of going back after this?' he asked indignantly. 'I'd never live it down...'

Tatsuki's eyes followed his pointing. Her jaw dropped. An other Ichigo was in the middle of the dance floor. A cute blondy was in his arms, and he was twirling her around skillfully, to the rhythm of the fast rock and roll music that was playing. He was good. A lot of other couples stopped dancing and formed a loose circle around the pair, watching the show. They even clapped when Kon did a complicated formation of turns, throwing his partner up into the air and catching her again with sure hands. After a few more turns, he gallantry kissed the hand of the blondy, and went to the next giggly girl queuing up there, a nice shaped brunette, who accepted him eagerly.

'Apparently it helps to be an under-pod type mod soul with enhanced leg-abilities, when it comes to dancing...' Ichigo said bitterly.

Tatsuki began to laugh so hard, she thought her ribs would crack. Bringing Ichigo along to this wedding was her best idea ever... all her bad mood was done away in an instant.

'Never thought I'd see the day when you're going to be jealous of lame old lion-head!' she taunted him.

'I'm not jealous! He's actually ruining my image!'

'I think those girls like this new image...'

'Don't say that! Uh! Everybody is looking at me... I mean him!'

She was still laughing, while Ichigo was angry as a bull.

'All right, all right!' She tried to calm him somewhat, but her high spirit was hard to hide.

'What ever am I going to do now?' Ichigo asked.

Tatsuki forced herself back to seriousness.

'I guess you'd better go there, and get your body back, before he does something silly.'

'No! I'd rather die than go out there after that!'

But at that moment they heard the music change. A slow romantic melody started, and the lights went out.

'Oh no... this is not good...'

…...

Kon was having the time of his life. So many pretty girls! And all his for the taking! Weddings should be held every day! And he had a plan in mind, a plan that would make the cream on the top... and when he heard the new song, he decided to take this plan into action.

His eyes searched the room, and when he found the girl he was searching for he boldly walked up to her.

'Orihime-chan? May I have the honor of the next dance?'

Ichigo was looking at the scene, horrified. He watched helplessly as Kon put his own hands on Orihime's hips, leading her confidently. Ichigo looked up at Tatsuki, pleadingly.

'Do something...'

She had a very strange expression on her face – maybe she was hiding a snicker – as she answered.

'No, you do something!'

Ichigo gritted his teeth. It took only a few more minutes until he could take it no longer. He raised, and walked right up to the pair.

'Can I cut in?' he asked in a dangerous voice, and Kon squeaked. But he didn't even have time to turn back to meet his master's deathly glare, because Ichigo already pushed the substitute badge to his body. The little pill of soul candy rolled away on the dance floor, narrowly avoiding being squashed by several high heals...

Ichigo entered his body as fast as he could, but it still began to collapse, and Orihime did the best she could to hold him up. When he looked up at her with his own eyes he found that there current pose was a little too intimate for even dancing, and immediately withdrew.

'Sorry about that...' he muttered, red in the face.

Orihime readjusted her hands, putting them around his neck. She smiled shyly.

'It's all right, Kurosaki-kun...'

They began to slowly turn, moving to the music. He could feel her bare skin on her back under his touch where her robe left it exposed. It was unbelievably soft and warm...

Before the song ended Ichigo found himself thinking that maybe, just maybe dancing was not so bad after all – if you had the right partner, that is...

_A/N: Did I manage to make you smile? Please review!_


	4. First kiss

_Author's Notes: Took me only two hours to throw this one together. I really wanted to finally write about a kiss... but don't expect pure cuteness, rather funniness..._

_Setting: final school year, but Rukia is also with them._

First kiss

Most of the girls of class 1-3 were walking home together, whispering excitedly.

'Oh, poor Orihime-chan! That Chizuru!' Mahana said sympathetically.

Earlier that day Keigo and Mizuiro had to haul the unconscious Chizuru over to the school nurse's office, because Tatsuki had punched her out so badly after her attacking Orihime again.

'Yeah... she's really crossed the line this time!' Tatsuki's fists were still balled up tightly, and her face was rather red out of temper as she walked.

'Well in my opinion, it's all Orihime's fault!' Ryo declared haughtily, but before Tatsuki could start on her she added: 'She should have hooked up with someone ages ago! So many boys are ogling her all the time, she would only have to choose! That would do the trick for cooling our little horny chicken down...'

'You're probably right...' said Rukia thoughtfully. 'But starting a relationship just for that reason seems a little inconsiderate...'

'Still better than being invaded all the time... and mark my words, she's going to get a lot more desperate now that school's about to end!' Ryo retorted.

The innocent looking little Michiru started to laugh.

'Maybe she needn't start a real relationship! She could just hire a guy for money to play the role of her lover, just like they do in the movies! And they could fall in love after, because that would be so romantic!'

'Well the boy in question would have to be really dumb, mind you...' Mahana voiced her opinion.

Tatsuki and Rukia had both stopped in there tracks. Orihime, who stubbornly refused to participate in the conversation so far, looked back at them surprised.

'Tatsuki-chan?' she asked tentatively.

But she didn't answer. Instead, the two black haired girls looked at each other, and an evil grin split across both there faces... Orihime had a vague feeling she didn't really like those grins...

…...

'Are you sure this is really a good idea?' he asked for what felt like the thousands time.

'Of course!' Rukia replied. 'You want to help, don't you?'

'Sure, but...'

'No buts! You just have to protect her, that's all! After all you did promise!'

He remained silent. Rukia turned her face away to hide her smirk. Oh, she was MEAN playing that card! She knew how prone he was to protecting...

'There they are!' she said happily, spotting Tatsuki, who was standing on the street corner, keeping a firm hold on Orihime's upper arm to prevent her escape. The brown haired girl looked terrified, like a rabbit caught in a net...

'Hi, Rukia... Ichigo!' Tatsuki greeted them with spirit. 'Well lets get into it!'

Ichigo's scowling face turned in her direction.

'Into what, exactly? Hey!' he cried out angrily, because her childhood friend had just attacked his hair with a comb, without even giving a warning of her intentions beforehand.

'Don't bother!' Rukia said, while she was applying some lip-gloss onto the flabbergasted Orihime. 'I already tried, but it seems it's spikyness is permanent...'

'I can see you've put a decent work into his clothes though!'

'You bet!'

The two girls dragged the supposed to be pair next to each other, and placed there hands together. Finally Rukia magicked a single red rose out of her bag, which she placed into Orihime's free hand.

'Nice one, Rukia!' Tatsuki approved.

'Are you ready yet?' Ichigo's eyebrows were twitching.

'Nope!' answered Tatsuki. She turned back to him, undoing a button on the front of his school shirt with a single wave of her hand.

'There! Now you two finally look like a decent pair!' The two girls stepped back a little to admire there work, and looked at them fondly.

'I think you're going too far!' Ichigo hissed angrily.

'We really don't need to do this, Kurosaki-kun...' Orihime piped up nervously.

'Noooo!' Tatsuki and Rukia screamed.

'You absolutely can not address him so formally! That would blow everything!' Tatsuki explained to her, shaking her head.

Orihime's eyes searched uncertainly for Ichigo's. He looked back at her steadily.

'Ichigo... kun...' she offered shyly after some time.

He cringed visibly.

'Gaww! No! Ichigo! Just Ichigo, please!'

She smiled weakly.

'Thank you so much for doing this for me... Ichigo!'

'No problem... Orihime...'

…...

Ichigo felt his stomach turn over out of nerves as he approached the door of there classroom, with Orihime's hand in his. He could feel her shaking slightly, so he tried to send her a reassuring smile. They paused in the doorway briefly. The room was already packed with students. _'Maybe nobody will notice... '_ Ichigo prayed silently, as he prepared to go inside.

The next moment there was a loud sound.

'Ooops! Sorry!' said Rukia pointedly, who just dropped her schoolbag onto the floor deliberately. Tatsuki grinned. Her co-conspirator was clearly better than she gave her credit for... All there classmates eyes were now turned in there direction.

There was a scream.

'NOOO! My dear Orihime-chan!' Chizuru came over to them, whining. 'Tell me this is not happening! I'm just seeing things, right? I can't be loosing my goddess to the bad side!'

Rukia was clutching her side, trying to fight back the fit of giggles that were threatening to overtake her. She had started watching Ichigo's face, and registered the different colors it had taken up so far. _'Wow! __It went from a fair pink to tomato-red in seconds, and by now it__'__s nearly reaching purple...__'_

'Cut it out, Chizuru!' said Tatsuki highly satisfied. 'You have eyes, now use them!'

The red haired girl's eyes narrowed at her comment.

'When did this happen?'

She looked at Ichigo, and after she failed to get an answer from him, her eyes turned back to Tatsuki. She smiled.

'If they are really together, than let's see a kiss!'

Both Ichigo and Orihime jumped slightly. Chizuru's smile widened.

_'New color: blue... ' _Rukia thought.

'I'm not doing that kind of thing in public!' Ichigo declared angrily.

A lot of there classmates were also enjoying the scene, and a Keigo started chanting: 'Kiss! Kiss! Kiss!' until half the class were imitating his lead... (He didn't care at the moment about the consequences...) Mahana was watching wide eyed, Ryo amused, and Michiru with a watery stare. Mizuiro put his cell phone away, wearing a smile. Chad's mouth were open, and Uryu was shaking his head in a corner...

_'__New color: green...__'_

Tatsuki could almost hear Ichigo's brain work furiously to find a way out of there situation. She won't give him the opportunity to find one... She promptly gave a sharp, unexpected push between his shoulder-blades, making him fall into Orihime's arms...

_'New color: white... '_

Finally Ichigo had to come to the conclusion that they were cornered... she was now in his arms... If he didn't really kiss her now, that would mean him rejecting her in front of all these people. He couldn't do that to her... He looked down to the princess. She now wore a politely puzzled expression, as though seriously interested in what's going to happen next...

Ichigo's last thought had been that SHE is still free to reject HIM. That would be better... he could easily deal with anyone teasing him or whispering behind his back... So he took a deep breath, and lowered his lips slowly down to hers, giving her time to pull back. She didn't protest though...

There were cheers from all directions, and a few wolf-whistles.

Rukia started slowly counting in her head: _'One... two... three... four... … wow!'_

For the pair, the surrounding world seemed to cease to exist... Originally Ichigo was only planning to brush his lips gently against her's, but she took him by surprise with kissing back passionately in the very first second... after that, he couldn't resist any more, and the kiss heated, deepened... She smelled sweet, she tasted sweet, and she was eager... and he had liked her anyway for ages now...

Finally they surfaced, looking up sheepishly at the cheering crowd.

Chizuru looked sour.

'All right, Tatsuki, you win... I give up! Of course I can tell this was the very first kiss they shared, but there's no denying the fact that they both did enjoy it...' she patted Orihime's shoulder. 'Good luck, princess! I wish you happiness...'

…...

At the end of that day, Ichigo went up to Orihime shyly and offered to walk her home.

'That's what boyfriends do... right?' he reasoned weakly.

And not even a week passed before Orihime secretly confined in Tatsuki that it was now not only in public that Ichigo was kissing her...

…...

_A/N: Yeah! I know! Real crap! I can't believe I've written one with a blushing Ichigo! I like him so much better in all the bliss of his determined scowl... But as Rangiku said, he's so helpless and cute like this... lol!_

_Anyway, please review! _


	5. Sweet dreams Ichigo!

_A/N: This is an older idea of mine. I wrote it a few weeks ago, but was unsatisfied with it. I realize now that it probably won't get any better, because I don't really have English vocabulary wide enough to write explicit smut. That being said, your welcome to picture it more wild than it came out... I just know "real" Hichigo would be much-much more sadistic..._

_**Warning**__: pervy, Hichi teasing Ichi's __prudishness_ _... _misuse of a poor banana and things like that...

_Setting: doesn't really matter. _

…...

**Sweet dreams Ichigo!**

Everything was unusually quiet in the Kurosaki Clinic that afternoon. Isshin had left early in the morning for a couple of day's journey, leaving the kids alone, undisturbed by his constant feakiness... Karin was sitting at the kitchen table, catching up on some homework she'd neglected because of yesterday's soccer match. Yuzu was chopping up vegetables for there dinner, occasionally helping her twin out with some answers.

They were conversing in low tones, because they've noticed, that Ichigo's head – who was reading a book lying on the couch – was starting to drop to one side, and his eyes were closing down. The girls could see he needed sleep, he looked kind of worn out. It was not a big thing, just that his soul reaper duties over the last few nights were taking a toll on him. Ichigo finally gave up, and the book fell out of his hands to the floor, landing with a soft thud. He closed his eyes contently with a sigh, and allowed sleep to take him over.

At first, there was only blissfully peaceful blackness... But colors came slowly after, filling his mind, and a dream started... In his dream, he was still lying on the same couch he was in reality, but for some unknown reason instead of his sisters the one who stood at the kitchen table, with a huge knife in her hand, and with a large happy smile on her face, chopping carrots was none other than one of his close friends: Orihime Inoue...

'Oh hi, Kurosaki-kun!' she sang happily. 'I'm making you dinner for today!'

He blinked, and stared at her kind of stupidly as an answer. She was wearing her school uniform, and an apron tied before herself, the very same one that belonged to Isshin, which had "Kiss the cook" written to the front.

'Now where was I?... Oh yes!' Orihime seemingly wasn't disturbed by his attitude. 'I need a bigger pot!' She danced over to the cupboards, dragging a chair with her, making a horrible creaking noise. Ichigo stood up, and went slowly to her side. He supposed that since this was there kitchen, he should help her search. Orihime was already standing on top of the chair, rummaging in the topmost shelf, reaching up on her tiptoes...

'What are you doing here anyway, Inoue?' he didn't want to sound rude, but he was baffled.

Orihime laughed as she looked down on him.

'Oh, I don't know! But you tell me... This is your dream after all!' There was amusement in her expression, and also something else, that Ichigo couldn't quite make out, but it made his stomach flip, and heat building up on his cheeks.

She returned her attention to the cupboard's contents.

'This one looks perfect!' she announced, grabbing the loop of a large silvery pot. She started to pull it out, but it was struck, and she stretched herself even higher. The chair tilted dangerously under her, and Ichigo quickly held it's back to support it. He was just about to suggest that he should take the thing down instead, when looking up his eyes accidentally came upon a sight that made him temporarily speechless...

Her long, perfectly shaped thighs were just inches away from his face, going up... up... past the hem of her very short school skirt, finally coming to a piece of clothing underneath, in pure white cotton... Ichigo just looked at this foreign sight, unable to tear his eyes away...

But the treacherous chair choose that moment to turn over completely. Orihime uttered a short surprised scream, while grabbing Ichigo's shirt collar. He tried to catch her best he could, but he too lost his balance, and they landed on the floor, quite entangled, with her on top.

'Sorry! I'm sorry!' Ichigo hastened to apologize. She was now siting on his hip in a way that was really unsuitable for public... He could feel her every move too accurately... He wanted to break away and stand up, but she wouldn't comply.

'It's all right...' Orihime whispered. A strange smile was gracing her lips, and an intense light in her eyes, as she leaned closer.

'… Inoue?' he asked uncertainly.

'This looks interesting!' said a voice from behind.

Ichigo looked up immediately, like a deer caught in headlights. At first, he didn't recognize who that voice belonged to... or he just didn't want to anyway. His hollow-self was standing in the kitchen doorway, leaning to the frame casually, his dark eyes twinkling with amusement, and his mouth sneering with malice.

'Hey, what are you doing here? Go away!'

The hollow took no notice of his angered words.

'Ichigo, King! Just what were you thinking, dreaming something like that?' He pointed in mock accusation at the dream-Orihime, who was still smiling, undisturbed by his sudden appearance.

Ichigo's face reddened instantly.

'I... How could I control what I'm dreaming about, Moron! Besides, there is nothing wrong with this dream! I just... just... Well any normal guy would dream something like that now and then!' he defended himself, stuttering.

The hollow laughed hard.

'You misunderstood me! I didn't mean I disapprove... quite the contrary... That Princess is so hot, that if you haven't dreamed something like this with her by now, I would have come to the realization that you must be gay! I'm glad that's not the case though, because I honestly don't know how I would handle that...'

'Shut your mouth, you hollow scum!'

'Anyway, what I meant is, that this "hot-dream" of yours is way too lame for MY liking! Luckily for me, not only your thoughts and memories but your dreams are also accessible for my use, if I want to...'

'What the...?'

'Relax! And just let me help you spice things up a little!' With a significant smile, he clicked his long white fingers together on his right hand.

Ichigo looked around himself with fear. The dream went out of focus, colors swirled in a blur for a moment, then everything solidified again into a new picture. Ichigo's eyes widened as he took it in.

They were still in the kitchen, and Orihime was still sitting on top of him, but...

'Wow! This is so nice, Hollow-san! Thank you!' said the dream-Orihime, looking her new attire over, and fingering the brim of the delicate material of the slightly transparent laced silk robe, in deep midnight blue color. It looked suspiciously like lingerie...

'Gaaaaawww!' was Ichigo's only comment...

The hollow laughed again, and licked his white lips at the appetizing site before him.

'Like what you see? King? And I should warn you that there is no point in trying to deny it, since your body already gave you away...' he said, his eyes narrowing, and traveling down there entangled bodies.

'Shit!'

The dream-Orihime took up a large banana from next to her, and started pealing it with a teasing slowness, a hungry expression on her beautiful features.

'No! No more!' Ichigo screamed to both his hollow and the dream-girl, hiding his flaming face into his hands. 'I have to wake up...' he moaned.

'But this is so much fun!' the hollow assured him. 'Much better than your version! And I think I can still improve it!'

Ichigo's eyes widened in fear.

'Nooo!'

The hollow clicked his fingers, and the dream changed again. Ichigo found himself lying on his own bed in his bedroom this time, and Orihime still eating the banana on top of him.

'See? Nice and cozy...'

'Bastard! Change things back already, or I'll... I'll... I so need my sword right now!'

He felt relief and joy for a moment, because he could feel a handle appear in his hand, and he thought it was the hilt of Zangetsu. But looking down he saw the handle belonged to an unfamiliar weapon, some kind of silly leather thong...

'What the HELL?'

'Now, now!' the hollow pulled a face. 'That won't do at all!' He clicked his fingers again, and the thong disappeared from his hand, replacing the banana in Orihime's. Her cloth changed now to a very tight leather bra and panties, held together by strings. 'That's more like it! I want you nice and submissive in this, if you don't mind!'

Orihime began caressing his body with the tip of the thong, and her other hand started unbuttoning his shirt...

'Aaaaa! Please, don't!'

'Kiss me, Strawberry!' she whispered seductively.

'This is all your fault, you freaking hollow! How could you turn her into... into this... '

'I must say I like how she's turned out!' the hollow answered. 'Hmm! Yammy! In fact, I think I like it so much, that I might just join in...'

'Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!'

…...

/next morning/

'Orihime!' Tatsuki greeted her friend arriving in there classroom, and seeing her already sitting at her table. 'You're kind of early today.'

'Yes!' she answered in her usual excited manner. 'I couldn't finish my new art project yesterday, and came in early to work a little more on it before class... wanna see?' She searched her bag, and pulled out the artwork in question, along with her lunch-bag. 'I came in so early in fact, that I haven't had any breakfast yet! I think I still have some time to catch up though...' she opened the bag, and pulled out something. When she looked up again her eyes spotted a familiar orange head appearing in the classroom's door. 'Hi, Kurosaki-kun!' she called out to him, waving, like she did every morning, enthusiastic as ever.

Ichigo stopped in his tracks, and wanted to greet her. For some reason, his cheeks were a faint pink color. But then his eyes spotted the item in her hand, and he turned green. He clapped a hand to his mouth, and turned on his heals, running out of the classroom, like all the Gotei 13 were on his heels.

Orihime was utterly confused and a little worried.

'Was it something I said?'

She was holding a banana in her hand.

…...

_A/N: Review? Please do!_


	6. Chapter 6

Simply caring

_Ding-dong!_

'Coming!' Orihime had just come out of her bathroom, when she heard the doorbell rang. The sound was loud, and kind of impatient. 'Who could this be?' she wondered to herself. It was late in the evening, not the usual time for visitors...

She had her comfortable home-clothes on her: sweatpants and her favorite baggy T-shirt. She was still missing her socks... Her hair was wet, and it was secured in a towel on the top of her head, like a turban.

She went to the door as fast as she could, and opened it, peering out cautiously. She was greeted by heavy panting.

'… hah... hah... Inoue... '

Her orange haired crush was standing on her doorstep, in his soul reaper form, clutching his side and sweat running down his forehead.

'Kurosaki-kun!' she exclaimed in alarm. 'What's the matter?'

He had clearly been running here.

'Inoue! Are you all right?' he lifted his head, to look at her. His gaze ran over her slender form, taking everything in, from turban to bare toes... This inspection would have made her self-conscious and blushing, but his eyes didn't hold any possessiveness or hunger in them, like she was used to form every ogling male. They only held concern. She had already seen this look in his eyes, when he was making sure she didn't suffer some kind of injury, after battles... She was taken aback for a moment, but answered cautiously.

'Yes... I'm all right...'

His eyes now went to search her apartment behind her back, looking for signs that would indicate something out of the ordinary. There was however nothing to find. Well, you couldn't really count the cucumber-pineapple salad on the table "out of the ordinary" in Orihime's place...

'Are you sure? Is everything OK?' he asked again. His eyes showed concern, and were practically begging her for further reassurance. So she collected herself, and answered in her usual cheery, slightly crazy manner.

'Yes, sir!' she mock-saluted. 'Completely all right, thank you! Healthy as a horse! But why do you ask?'

This finally did the job. His expression softened, and some of the tenseness left his muscles. He leaned to the door-frame, his breath finally catching up with him.

'That's good... '

Then unexpectedly his features changed, and he shoot at her with anger.

'But why weren't you answering my calls?'

'Calls?'

'Yeah! I called like a thousand times! You called me, but I couldn't pick it up right then, and when I called you back, you weren't answering! I called and called, but nothing! I thought something had happened!'

Orihime blushed madly.

'Um... I was only taking a shower... didn't hear my phone... sorry... ' she said, embarrassed.

He sighed.

'That's ok... it's just... I freaked out like crazy!'

Ichigo was too overcome with his own emotions to notice how unusually forward he had been about them... He just kept looking at the girl with an openness he has never permitted himself before. But as soon as he realized this, he turned away, hiding a blush.

Orihime's heart was beating wildly in her chest. He had been worried about her. He'd been worried about her so much, that he had run here like a madman, to make sure she was all right. He cared for her... She remembered the worried look in his eyes, and realized he cared for her very much... Did he realize this too?

She felt so warm inside... How she had waited for some small sign... Dared she hope? Hope that this indicated something more than just friendship... she was not sure...

Ichigo cleared his throat, still embarrassed.

'Khm... If you're sure everything's fine, then I'll leave... sorry to intrude like this, Inoue...'

'That's OK... um... don't you want to come in... I mean for a drink or something...' the end of her sentence was just a whisper, and she was looking down to her curling and uncurling toes.

Ichigo looked almost frightened, as he stuttered out the answer.

'No... I'd better not... didn't tell my family I went away... just ran here...'

'Oh... then see you at school tomorrow, I suppose...'

He smiled.

'Yes. Good night, Inoue.'

'Good night, Kurosaki-kun.'

He started to walk away, but then froze after two steps, and turned back.

'What was it that you called me for anyway?' he asked.

She pouted, and put a finger to her mouth, thinking.

'Let me see... I don't really remember... it was something silly... insignificant... Oh, yeah! It was about the literature assignment... I left my notebook in school, and couldn't remember the title exactly... Tatsuki-chan was still at her dojo, so I called you, and when you didn't answer, I called Ishida-kun, and he finally told me.'

Ichigo forced a small smile.

'I see...'

They just stood there awkwardly for a few moments. Ichigo prepared to leave again.

'Well, got to go... bye!'

'Kurosaki-kun!' Orihime called after him, and he turned back once more, with his eyes questioning. 'Thank you...' she said quietly, looking down again. '… for caring...'

He blushed so heavily this time, that even his ears were red.

'You're welcome...' he mumbled.

He started to walk away, and Orihime softly closed her door. She went to her window, and lifted the curtain a little to see his retreating form. Ichigo paused on the street corner. He seemed to be talking to himself... Orihime winced, as he suddenly smacked himself in the head hard...

_'Ouch! That's got to hurt... '_

When he finally disappeared from view, she went to the bathroom to dry her hair. As she looked into the mirror, she realized that she had a goofy grin on her face...

_A/N: Hope this little one came out as cute as I meant it to be... Thanks for reading, and please send me your thoughts!_


	7. The perfect girl

_A/N: Hi, there! Here is an other one-shoot, quite lengthy this time! Hope you'll enjoy! _

_("Dj Gin" : I'm glad you enjoy this collection so much, that you're waiting for updates on it! Thanks!_

"_seichirokamui": Yay! I've finished it! (Thankfully, it didn't take a week after all...) I still have my doubts about this final version of the ending, but you tell me how it works out! Usually, writing conversation is the easiest part, at least for me. But this Tatsuki-Ichigo interaction was hard, even though I had a very clear idea of what I want all along. I hope everyone is IC still. I think I did all right with Orihime... =))_

The perfect girl

Ochi-sensei entered the classroom, a little later then usual.

'All right, settle down, class!' she commanded briskly.

There was a general scramble as people moved chairs, and put away half finished sandwiches and comic books. When the noise died away, everyone's attention was drawn towards the door, where an unfamiliar girl just entered.

She was not just a common girl, however... Long, softly falling brown locks framed perfectly symmetric, artisticly shaped features. Big, bright, turquoise eyes, looking intelligently ahead. Tall, slender, nicely carved body... Long legs, small waist... Keigo was practically drooling to the desk before him, and he was not the only one. The girl was simply beautiful. Like a super-model...

'Ah, you are here... come!' Ochi-sensei beckoned the girl closer. 'Class, I want you to meet Aki Nakayama. She's a new transfer student. Please greet her kindly, and give her your support. Nakayama, you can sit right there, there's an empty place next to Kurosaki. I'm sure he won't mind sharing his books with you today, since you don't have them yet...'

Ichigo lifted a scowling face. The new girl looked at him. She smiled an angelic smile, then glided past the other boys envious gazes to sit next to him.

'Favoritism! Sensei is always doing that with Ichigo!' sulked Keigo quietly.

'Nice to meet you, Kurosaki-kun!' the girl said, still smiling warmly. Even her voice was nice to the ears, musical... 'I hope I won't be much trouble!'

Ichigo's scowl wavered. It was hard to tell what emotion caused it, but it must have been close to surprise.

'Sure...' he said, and moved his book to the side of his table for her to see. Aki leaned in eagerly, but her attention was divided between the book, and her new acquaintance.

Orihime's eyes were glued to the pair.

_'This is so s__t__range...'_ she thought to herself. _'I feel like I'm gonna be sick... my __stomach__ hurts... as if somebody put a large stone inside it... but I would have noticed that, wouldn't I?'_

Ochi-sensei started the class, and Aki asked Ichigo quietly where to look for the appointed task on the page. He showed it to her, and their hands accidentally brushed as he did so. Both blushed lightly.

_'All right... a heavy stone is enough... but now it's burning...'_ poor Orihime thought.

Tatsuki nudged her friend from behind.

'Hey, you might want to follow the lesson too, or Sensei will notice!' she warned in whisper.

Orihime almost jumped. She grabbed her own book, not minding that it was upside down, and started turning the pages vigorously. She knew that if Ochi-sensei points out to the whole class, that she'd been ogling the pair, she would just die out of humiliation...

oOoOoOo

'Orihime... are you all right?' Tasuki asked as the girls of the class were having their lunches under their favorite tree. Luckily, Chizuru was in the middle of lecturing the other girls on woman superiority – with her usual heat and loud voice – it was ought to keep the others from hearing their private conversation.

'Of course, Tatsuki-chan... hehehe... why wouldn't I be?'

Tatsuki sighed.

'Can we please just skip the part where you pretend to be ignorant, or not caring? I think we are good enough friends for that... and you already kind of told me about your feelings for Ichigo...'

Orihime blushed. She looked up to the school building's roof, where the group of boy's were sitting. She could just make out his orange top, as he was leaning to the railings... and the wind blew long threads of brown hair next to him.

'It's only natural, that she went to have lunch with him, since she doesn't yet know anyone else...'

'Sure it is.' answered Tatsuki, with a knowing smile.

'Maybe we should try to befriend her... it's always hard to be new, and without friends...'

'Without doubt it is...' Tatsuki's smile even widened.

'She seems a nice enough girl... maybe we will be great friends...'

'Maybe...'

'And I'm glad she already found some friends... it's always good to have lots of them...'

'It is...'

'But I do wish she would have befriended somebody else than Kurosaki-kun...'

'Bingo!'

'Don't laugh at me, Tatsuki-chan! It's mean!' Orihime pouted.

'I'm not...' she answered, but laughed all the same. 'But man, Orihime... you really are the most warmhearted, innocent and patient creature in this whole wide world!' Then she became more serious. 'But when she dropped her pen, and Ichigo picked it up for her, I honestly thought you would faint... the color white is not healthy on your cheeks, you know...' she stated, pecking said cheeks affectionately. 'I bet she did that on purpose... her kind of girl could be capable of anything.'

'What do you mean by that, Tatsuki-chan? We don't even know her!'

'It's easy to tell she's a man-eater, though...'

Orihime clapped a hand to her mouth, her expression changing to that of uttermost horror.

'A "man-eater"? Oh, no! Poor Kurosaki-kun!' She didn't even know until now that such monsters existed... maybe they were like vampires, and only changed form after nightfall...

Tatsuki laughed so hard this time, that unfortunately it draw the others curiosity, and they demanded to know what they've been talking about.

'We were just talking about the new girl.' Tatsuki said, before Orihime could blush fire.

'Ah, yes!' Chizuru cried. 'Quite a beauty, isn't she?' A dreamy expression appeared on her face.

Tatsuki rolled her eyes.

'She looks almost as tasty as Orihime...' Chizuru continued. '… no offense princess, you know you'll always be my favorite...'

'Oi! Keep your distance, you perv!' Tatsuki yelled, kicking her in the middle.

oOoOoOo

When they returned to the classroom, Orihime and Tatsuki took seats at the far end of the room. The group of boys also came back, with Aki, and they were talking together in loud voices. The girls didn't need to eavesdrop to hear it. At least, not on Keigo...

'So, you go to a dojo, and you're almost at black belt level? Amazing! I'll have to watch out for myself when you become my girlfriend!' he said, trying to shift closer to Aki.

Ichigo grabbed his collar out of habit, with a pained expression.

'How lame your pick-up lines can get, Man! Do try to put more effort in them before using them in public!'

Aki giggled.

'You are so mean!' whined Keigo.

'Don't mind him, Nakayama-san... he's always like this.' interjected Mizuiro. 'Please, tell me more about that drama-club you go to! It sounds rather interesting...'

Ichigo only shook his head at his tactics, but Keigo's eyes widened dramatically at his friend's betrayal...

Aki smiled at Mizuiro.

'It did give me a lot of memorable moments... but I don't think I'll be able to continue going there... not from here... it's too far off.' she said, looking sad. But then she brightened up. 'But maybe I'll find some new interesting clubs to try out here too!'

'That's the spirit, Nakayama-san! Like I always say, you've got to make the best from what you can't change... and your father's assignment here only lasts half a year... maybe you'll be able to move back once it's over.' Uryu said, looking seriously at the girl, from under his glasses. 'And if you're interested in the "Home handicrafts club", I will happily give my recommendation for you...'

'Yes! You are right, Ishida-kun! Thank you!'

'Nakayama-san... I don't want to interrupt, but haven't you said, you need to see the principal about signing that paper for you?' asked Chad.

'Oh, yes! I almost forgot!' she looked around, searching. 'Where's my bag?'

'Pleased to help you, Aki-chan!' Keigo cried, and dived for her bag. Unfortunately it was located on the other side of Ichigo from where Keigo originally stood, and Chad also had in mind to get it for her. When the two collided, Keigo was pushed roughly into Ichigo, who was swept of his feet, and landed, knocking over the table behind him. Several girls giggled near by. Orihime on the other hand, had stood up involuntarily, face white.

Ichigo straightened, eyes flashing as angrily as an irritated tiger's, and supporting a bleeding lip. It had crashed into Keigo's unusually thick scull...

'Keigo!'

The brown haired boy squeaked, and quickly removed himself from on top of the orange haired menace. He did a quick mental calculation on his chances, and he decided the best he could do at the moment was to run for it.

'I'm sorry!' he cried over his back, while exiting the room at top speed.

Ichigo stood up, rearranging his clothes. He closed his eyes, and took a huge calming breath.

'I'm sorry, Ichigo... it was my fault too...' Chad said.

'It's all right.' Ichigo answered. He raised a hand to wipe away the few drops of blood from his face. Orihime had half mind to go to him, but...

'Here, let me help you with that.' Aki said simply, and holding out a clean handkerchief, she gently brushed his lip clean. She didn't even blush. Orihime felt frozen.

Ichigo took the handkerchief from Aki, and pressed it to the wound himself.

'Thanks.' he growled, sending her a scowl.

'I'm so sorry about this... does it hurt much?' Aki asked, looking uncomfortable.

Uryu grinned.

'Don't worry... he'd had much worse...'

Chad chuckled next to him, and even the corner of Ichigo's mouth twitched, as he looked at the Quincy.

Aki of course didn't understand the joke, but smiled all the same.

'So... Kurosaki-kun, will you show me the way? You said you would, but if...'

'No. It's OK, Nakayama. Come with me.'

Ichigo gestured for her to follow, and Aki shouldered her bag looking happy. They went out of the room, heading for the principal's office together.

Orihime sat back to her previous place, next to Tatsuki. She looked so miserable, that Tatsuki put a comforting hand to her shoulder.

'He likes her...' Orihime said quietly. 'I'm sure of it...'

'What makes you think so?' Tatsuki asked.

'He was scowling at her...'

'Orihime... if you haven't jet noticed... Ichigo is always scowling.'

'Yes. But he was scowling-scowling... not JUST scowling... if you know what I mean...'

She laughed. 'No!'

'Never mind then... but what's your opinion?'

'I don't know... but you see Orihime, this is exactly the reason you should have spoken to Ichigo about your feelings ages ago... because if she really is just a "man-eater", then it's no problem... I bet Ichigo could see right through one in the matter of weeks. But! If she's actually nice and deserving, AND she's not shy like you to show her affections clearly, as clearly, that it carries through even to his thick head... then you are in trouble...'

Orihime turned her sad eyes down, to watch her own interlocked hands twist in her lap. She felt broken and empty...

oOoOoOo

It was the end of the day. The end of the longest school-day Orihime ever had to endure... But the end of it brought no comfort...

'Tatsuki-chan... please...'

'No, Orihime, just no! Don't even think about it!'

'But I know I won't be able to sleep...' Orihime whined. 'And then I'll come to school tomorrow, being all drowsy, and I'll take the wrong turn, and end up in the middle of a shooting war between invading alien robots and the good guys, and get kidnapped to Mars, where I will be forced to teach all the robot population how to make a wasabi ravioli...'

Tatsuki sighed, but with a smile.

'Even you have to admit that the chances on that...'

'Please...' Orihime asked again, with wide, begging, puppy eyes.

'Hey... not fair... not fair, using that one against me!' Tatsuki protested, but Orihime just continued to look at her, unshaken, edging even a little closer. Her gentle doe brown eyes were round, and she even managed to get them a little pooling, while the corners of her mouth trembled theatrically... This expression was impossible to resist...

'Uh... all right... I'll do it...' Tatsuki gave in grumpily.

'Yay!' Orihime jumped to embrace her neck. 'I promise I'll be a real good friend to you, for all eternity, and even bring you some of my banana-chilly cookies as thanks... wait... you don't really like those... never mind the cookies, but I'll think about something, you can be sure of that!'

Tatsuki only looked amused.

'I promise to try... I can't grantee I'll get any information out of him, that worth the trouble... he's not one to advertize his thoughts... or emotions.'

Orihime giggled.

'I'm aware of that...'

Tatsuki sighed big, and picking up her bag, she rushed after Ichigo, who already left the room for home. She was in luck, because he was ambushed, and held back by the basketball coach, and they talked for a few minutes. Tatsuki waited, pretending to be interested in some leaflets on the notice-board, and when he started walking again, she fell in step next to him comfortably.

'Going home?' she asked.

'Yep... so glad it's the end of the day already.'

'Was your day that bad?' she asked grinning.

'No, not really. Just tired.'

Tatsuki collected her courage, and taking a big breath, she said as nonchalantly as she could.

'I thought the new girl's bright eyes would brighten it up for you... she seemed practically glued to you today.'

He growled.

'Not you too, Tatsuki!'

She laughed, more freely now, because even this little answer told her she needn't be afraid of poking her nose in something she shouldn't... If Ichigo would have started blushing and stuttering at her question, she just knew she wouldn't have had the courage (or the heart) to question him further.

'Why? She looked nice enough...'

'Was too, I guess... but still irked me to no end...'

Tatsuki laughed even harder.

'Wow. How cruel!'

Ichigo laughed too.

'All right... so it wasn't really her who irked me, but all the fuss around her.'

'I see. No matter how nice she is, if she makes Keigo and Chad tackle you, that's unforgivable.'

'You saw that, huh?'

She giggled again.

'Who didn't?'

'All right, all right! Enough laughs at my expanse!' he sighed. 'I wish Ochi-sensei had sent her to sit somewhere else. I just can't see what the others saw so special in her...'

'You must admit she's nice looking... or do you need your eyesight checked?'

He scowled.

'I never said she wasn't...'

'But she still didn't appeal to you?'

'I can't really...' Ichigo suddenly froze, and sent a frightened look over to his friend. 'Wait... Appeal? Tatsuki... what kind of question is that?'

Tatsuki felt an uncharacteristic blush coming over her face. So she quickly did the thing she always did to hide her embarrassment: she hit his head hard.

'Ouch!'

'Oi! It's nothing like that you moron!' Tatsuki grinned under the mask of being angry. This tactic always worked with boys... even though Ichigo knew her well, he somehow still never expected this form a girl! 'It's not like I'm interested THAT way... as if! I'm just curious! You are my friend, and I've known you for the better part of this last 13 years! I'm trying to understand here... You are 17, popular, not really ugly (if we take out the orange hair that is), yet you never had a girlfriend! People here are starting to say your gay!' Tatsuki noticed how the end of his ears turned red, and his nostrils flared. She had gone too far... Even she knew when to retreat, so she quickly added. 'I've never believed any of it, but still... I'm interested in what type of girl would catch your eyes...'

'Type?' he repeated, stunned out of his previous anger. 'I never knew girls had types...'

'You know what I mean...'

'Well... not really.'

She sighed. 'Just tell me what was it that irked you in Nakayama today... maybe we'll get there sooner like that.'

He frowned.

'I don't know... it was the way she talked... She said she hoped she wouldn't be much trouble, but under that, she was sure she wouldn't... and when she asked for help, it felt like she didn't really need it... Confident...'

'Confident is good...'

'Too confident...'

'You mean big-headed.'

'Maybe bordering that...' he smiled.

'So you like the more reserved type?'

He looked thoughtful.

'Perhaps. All the other boys thought she was entertaining and clever. Even Ishida said so, so it must be true, I guess. She told us about her well arranged, perfect life... everything neat and in place... To me, she was... boring... like I had to listen to Yuzu all day.'

'I see... she was too predictable.'

'Yeah.'

'After all, your kind of man looks for adventure in girls...'

'What's that supposed to mean?'

'Nothing! But I don't think you'd be content with a simple home-sitting, caring, house-wife type...'

Ichigo cringed at this last summary.

'Uh... right... but I don't mind "caring"... that's a womanly trait, is it not?'

Tatsuki giggled. She was enjoying this conversation more and more...

'Yes... and Aki Nakayama was SO caring with that handkerchief...'

'If you're gonna be like this, I'll just shut up!'

'No! Please! This is just getting interesting! And I do understand. No more words about Nakayama. She simply lacked that "plus".'

Ichigo looked ahead, his eyes lost in the distance.

'Plus.' he repeated. '... I guess you could call it like that.'

Tatsuki laughed again.

'Poor girl... and she was trying so hard...'

Ichigo jumped slightly.

'She was?'

Tatsuki rolled her eyes.

'It figures you didn't notice... so dense! Now I'm not surprised you haven't been able to get a girlfriend... and here I was thinking you were merely lazy!' she laughed, teasing.

Ichigo got angry in a flash, and he turned to her wildly, pointing an accusing finger towards her.

'Hey! You know I've been rather busy! Don't forget who keeps this god-damn town safe from soul-sucking monsters, and purple eyed, white skinned, power-crazy lunatics!'

Tatsuki gave an involuntary shudder. Calling forward the memory of that formidable day always did that to her...

'All right, all right all ready! I do remember, thanks!' she said, somewhat icily.

Ichigo looked satisfied.

'Well, let me tell you... leading a dual life has it's drawbacks! Can you imagine a "girlfriend" also in the picture, with all this? I would have to conceal a lot of things, or running the risk of frightening her senseless, or even worse: convince her early that I've lost my marbles!'

Tatsuki was surprised. She had to admit that he had a fair point there.

'True... I've never thought about it that way...'

'So that's that. No girlfriend for me... End of discussion!'

'No, it's damn well not!'

Ichigo sighed. Tatsuki continued.

'Didn't it occur to you, that you would only need a girl with some decree of spiritual power, so that she could see ghosts too? That way she won't think you're crazy!'

Ichigo shook his head, irritated. But he still answered the question.

'No good... a girl with spiritual pressure, by my side, would surely be prime target for all hollows and worse... I would go crazy worrying... '

'Then you would need a strong girl, able to defend herself.'

He growled.

'Can't we please just talk of something else now?'

Tatsuki laughed.

'No. How about looks? What do you prefer? Fair or dark? Blue or brown eyes? Tall or small?'

'This is stupid... the overall impression is what counts anyway...'

'Smart answer! And is this "impression" pleasing with black hair and violet eyes?'

Ichigo sent her a steady glance.

'Rukia is great the way she is, but if that's what the question implies, I'm not falling for her... she's a friend, that's all.'

'Nah. I never really thought you did... just checking. And what do you say about a girls figure? Cute and girly, or more womanly?'

'Both.' he said, before being able to stop himself. He clapped a hand to his mouth, horrified that he could have said such a thing. Tatsuki fought hard to suppress her laugh, but some giggles still escaped.

'How is that even possible?... Wait! I get it: innocent eyes with big breasts!'

It was now Ichigo's turn to mask his coming blush with trying to get angry... but he did a poorer job than Tatsuki had before.

'Oh... this is so... embarrassing! I quit! Why do you even care about what I like? I could ask you the same questions! As far as I know YOU never had a boyfriend either!'

'True. Then I could tell you that my type is the black haired, tall, broad shouldered and confident karate champion. Happy? It's this simple! Hah!'

Ichigo scowled.

'This sucks!'

'But it's you we're talking about right now.'

They arrived in front of Tatsuki's home, and stopped before the gates, facing each other.

'So. Let me get this straight.' Tatsuki said. 'Your perfect girl would be nice looking, caring, reserved, yet intelligent and entertaining. She mustn't be boring, but a little unpredictable, and she must present some "plus" to catch your eyes. She should posses some decree of spirit energy, and be able to defend herself...' Tatsuki put her hands on her hips. 'You seem to be asking for a rather lot, you know...'

Ichigo lowered his gaze to the ground, but Tatsuki saw the shadow of an unfathomable emotion there, before he looked away.

'Yeah... I know.'

Tatsuki's smile suddenly widened to reach from one ear to the other.

'Wonder where you would find a girl like that! It's such a shame that you have nobody particular in mind!'

She received no answer, but she could have sworn that that tell-tail light blush was there on his cheeks.

'You are so hopeless... And you even forgot to mention that her hair should be long, light brown, her eyes hazel, she should live alone, away from any family...'

Ichigo now closed his eyes, denying her the pleasure to read from his expressions. But Tatsuki wasn't going to let the subject just drop right now... not when she had already reached this far...

'… and that her birthday should be on the 3rd of September.'

She still didn't get any answer.

'And that her name should be...'

'Tatsuki.' Ichigo said quietly, but firmly. She held her tongue immediately. 'Don't spoil it...' he said gently, with a sad smile. 'As I said... I know... I am aware that I'm asking for way too much...'

Tatsuki was stunned... She opened and closed her mouth, like a fish on shore... She didn't know how to handle this. She never expected this... Ichigo looked so cute now, standing before her, with a little child's sour-sulking expression... He resembled much the kid she used to comfort so many times. Her first instinct had been to just hug him. The second, to yell his head of, telling him how dense and silly he is... But she acted on neither in the end. She folded her arms.

'I see... all right... I'll just let it go for now. See you tomorrow!'

'Bye, Tatsuki.' Ichigo called quietly, still looking down.

She started to walk away from him, going up the few steps to her front door. On the last step, she turned back suddenly.

'But Ichigo! For both of your sakes... Please don't be an idiot, and don't keep her waiting much longer!'

Ichigo lifted his head fast. His eyes widened dramatically. Tatsuki grinned satisfied, and wanted to go inside. Her hand was on the doorknob, when Ichigo's weak voice reached her.

'Waiting? Does that mean...?'

'I've got a feeling that even somebody as dense as yourself would be able to figure this out!' she said without turning, and entered her home, with a huge smirk plastered to her features.

oOoOoOo

Tatsuki's phone rang. She didn't even look at the number, just picked it up.

'Hi, Orihime.'

'Tatsuki? Have you...?'

'Yes. I have talked to him.'

'…'

'…'

'And?'

'You needn't worry.'

'Have you warned him about "man-eating" girls?'

Tatsuki grinned.

'Sure.'

'Fhuw! I'm relieved... and... did he tell you anything about...'

'You needn't worry about that either... he didn't see anything special about Aki Nakayama.'

'He didn't? I'm glad... though I feel a little bad about it... I really have no right to want to keep him away from other girls...'

Tatsuki smiled, while shaking her head.

'You both are hopeless... but I have a feeling that you and Ichigo are gonna happen... if you're prepared to wait for him for... uh... lets say form 2 month to 10 years...'

'…'

'Orihime?'

'I'd wait for him for all eternity...'

oOoOoOo

_A/N: If you took the time to read something so long as this one-shoot, please do me an other favor, and follow these instructions:_

_Push the little button at the bottom of this page that says "Review this story"._

_Type in some of your thoughts for me._

_Send the review._

_Thank you so much! =)))_


	8. Sister shemes

Sister schemes

Orihime was intently studying the titles of books on the bookshelf. To her slight surprise, among many shonen manga volumes, and more classic "boy's books", like a few works of Karl May and even some Agatha Christie stories, she found plays and poem volumes of Shakespeare. But then again, maybe it was not that surprising after all: she had always known there was more to her Kurosaki-kun, than meets the eye...

She ran her fingers over the spine of a particular volume, which looked like it had been in use often. It contained the most popular plays, Romeo and Juliet, Hamlet and Othello. Before the books, there were a few other things on the shelf, like a little toy car, which one day must have been it's owner's favorite, but now was only a souvenir. There were some family photos, and a golden medal for a kids karate-championship winner...

Finally Orihime's eyes came to rest on an ordinary white stone. It was big, almost perfectly round, shining spotlessly. It was just a stone, but a beautiful one, and she knew right away, that maybe she wouldn't be able to find it's likeness, even if she would search all the beaches of the world for a thousand years. She reached out, with a smile on her face, taking the stone into her palm carefully. She turned it around, wanting to feel it's cool, smooth surface under her touch.

'Found anything interesting?' the owner of the room just entered, bringing the tray of tee he'd promised to make.

Orihime squeaked, and quickly put the stone back to it's place, her face flushing.

'Kurosaki-kun... I'm sorry... I didn't mean to...'

He put the tray down, and came next to her.

'It's all right.' he said, his face scowling, as usual, but his voice wasn't irritated or angry. He looked at the shelf, and picked up the stone himself. He looked at it intently for a second, then suddenly he smiled. And it was THAT rare, warm smile, that made Orihime's heart just melt.

'Figures, that of all the things here, this is what you were interested in...' he commented, maybe more to himself, than to the girl standing next to her. For only one moment, Ichigo permitted himself to remember the gentle hand finding this stone on the beach one sunny, carefree summer day, and the joy of the seven year old boy, receiving it... Then his smile vanished, as he put the stone down, and turned his back firmly on it. 'Why don't you sit down?' he asked Orihime, out of the blue.

'Oh... um...' the girl looked around herself, and noticed that there was only one chair in the room, facing his desk, and besides that, only the bed... even the thought of sitting there, to a place so private, brought a new rush of blood to her face. She ran, almost getting caught in her own feet, to the chair, and claimed it as her own.

The two had been dating for almost a month now, but somehow they were still very awkward in each others company. Orihime thought she was hopeless with the constant blushing, but in truth, Ichigo was no better, only managed to disguise his discomfort with his scowls.

He was doing that right now, while pouring them tee. Orihime took the opportunity to just look at him, while he was occupied. She studied the long, muscular arms, the fine cut of his jaw-line, the perfect arch of slightly furrowed brows, and his lips, as they were pursed together with concentration. Suddenly, a different kind of warmness were running through her, heating not only her face, but her whole body...

Ichigo was finished with the tee, and taking a mug to his hand, he sat on the bed. Orihime suddenly found herself wishing that she would have had the sense and courage to sit there herself too, after all. The chair seemed way too far off now... She began to swing her legs to and for, trying to move the wheels under her chair, edging closer cautiously, under the pretense of wanting to take her own mug.

_'Come on, Orihime!'_ she scolded herself inwardly. _'It's really not that difficult. Just stand up, and sit by his side! Remember what Tatsuki-chan said! Be initiative! Sit there, and take his hand... it's not __even a big deal...'_

They were good, as far as they were in public, going to a cinema, or walking home together from school, and they enjoyed each others company, talking and laughing freely. But once they were alone, the atmosphere just froze. Mostly, they had these awkward study-dates in his house, because Ichigo almost refused to go even near her secluded apartment since the start of their relationship. He had only ever kissed her once, when he had asked her out, but Orihime was starting to think now, that that must have been the result of some kind of mistake or slip-up... He was always so guarded and reserved around her, almost as if afraid he would hurt her some way.

He did give her other notices of his affections, so Orihime wasn't worried in that quarter, but she began to carve those missing touches much... She supposed that this draw-back acting and awkwardity was something every new couple must come to terms with. Maybe for them, it just took a little more time than it did to others. And she had to admit, that she was no expert herself, when it came to "letting go"... Especially where he was concerned.

Ichigo picked up one of their school books, flipping the pages.

'So... history exam on Thursday... do you want to do the questioning first, or you'd rather it was me?'

Orihime contemplated the answer, and because she really didn't know what he would prefer, she decided to throw the question back.

'Oh, I'm fine either way... you choose... Eeeek!'

Her nervous rocking on the chair made it unstable under her, and because of her inattention, it suddenly turned over, and she fell down to the floor, followed by a large chattering sound that must have been the chair.

Ichigo sprang up to his feet, dropping the book.

'Inoue!'

Orihime quickly stood up, smoothing her skirt out, and blushing madly.

'I'm ok! It's nothing!' she laughed nervously. She grabbed the chair, and sat back on it, placing both of her feet firmly on the ground this time.

Ichigo shook his head.

'Honestly Inoue... that was quite a fall! Are you sure you're not hurt?'

'Yes, thank you... um... I think you should do the questioning after all, Kurosaki-kun.'

At that moment, there was a shout from bellow.

'Ichi-nii! Phone call!' Karin cried.

Ichigo threw an uncertain gaze at his girlfriend.

'… be right back!' he announced, and went to the door.

Orihime used the opportunity to massage her sore bottom...

Moments later, a brown haired head appeared in the doorway, looking in tentatively.

'Orihime-chan?' Yuzu asked. 'Can I come in?'

It struck Orihime a little, that the girl was asking for HER permission to enter a room in THEIR house...

'Of course, Yuzu-chan!' she answered warmly. She was glad of the younger girl's company.

Yuzu beamed. She made no secret out of the fact that she just loved her brother's choice of a girlfriend, and the two auburn haired girls were nicely on their way to close friendship... if not even to a bound even stronger than that, because Yuzu already kind of thought of Orihime as a sister...

Yuzu went to sit before Orihime on the ground, and she too immediately slid out of the chair, and they arranged themselves comfortably on the soft carpet, their knees touching, facing each other. Orihime wondered vaguely if she would ever reach a level of familiarity like this with not only the sister, but the brother too. It sure seemed like a lost case...

'You are all red in the face... Tell me what happened!' Yuzu said excitedly. 'Did he finally...?'

Orihime cringed.

'Sh! Not so loud, Yuzu-chan!'

'But I'm so excited!'

'Nothing... nothing happened...' Orihime told her quickly.

She sighed, and not for the first time, she cursed her own big mouth. Of course, Ichigo's father, Isshin was the one to blame. Noticing with keen eyes the seemingly "platonic" way of the pair's interaction, he had made a remark a few days back about how his son must be a closet pervert, doing it only in the dark... Since the twins were also present, Orihime had felt the need to defend him. But it had backfired on her, because ever since then, Yuzu seemed to be devoted to the task of promoting their love life, which resulted in awkward situations, like her praising Orihime's beauty before him, and such.

Yuzu pouted. 'We simply got to do something about that...' she said seriously.

'Um... We? That's hardly necessary, Yuzu-chan!' Orihime protested, waving her arms before herself in a gesture of denial, feeling highly uncomfortable.

At that moment, the other Kurosaki twin, Karin walked in the room.

'Yuzu, have you seen my... oh...' she noticed, how the the other two looked a little startled. 'Sorry... I didn't mean to interrupt...'

'It's ok...' said both of them.

Karin liked Orihime too, but she wasn't as close with her yet as her sister. She did inherit the same reservedness as her brother...

Yuzu had an idea. 'In fact, Karin, I think you might be able to help us!'

Karin raised an eyebrow suspiciously. Orihime's silent protests were ignored, as Yuzu quickly proceeded to explain the situation.

'It seems that our brother has some issues with... er... relaxing... He is so serious most of he time, and acts like all the trouble of the world was on his shoulders...'

Orihime and Karin exchanged a meaningful look. They knew more about what was weighting down Ichigo's shoulders, than the most innocent Yuzu.

'… I think brother deserves a little break... and I think it would do great to their... um... relationship with Orihime, if he would only learn to loosen up a little! The problem is, we don't know how to do it...'

Karin rolled her eyes.

'I'm not saying this doesn't make sense... But just tell me Yuzu! When was the last time you saw Ichigo "loosen up"?'

Her twin's eyes were lost in the distance, and Karin thought she had come up with an unarguable point. But then suddenly, Yuzu's face lit up with excitement.

'Karin! That's it! Thanks! I know now what to do!'

Both Karin and Orihime sent her baffled glances. Yuzu grinned huge. She turned to her sister.

'What say you to giving him the ultimate-united sister attack?' she said, lifting a pillow from the bed, and swinging it before herself.

Karin's expression changed slowly, as she processed this request. First it was only shocked. Then other emotions began to show. Her eyes lit up, involuntarily, with excitement, but her voice was sad, and kind of defeated as she spoke.

'Oh, come on Yuzu... when was the last time we did that... we must have been eight or something...'

Orihime suddenly understood the emotion behind the black haired girl's words. It was longing. Karin tried to hide it, but it was there. She clearly wanted to do the thing her twin proposed, only she was restricted by the silly notion that she was a big girl now, and that it was not so proper for big girls to just play with their almost adult brother like that...

This made Orihime sad. She remembered the time her brother had told her, that she must sleep in her own bed from then on, because she had grown into a big girl. She had understood, but it had hurt.

Suddenly Orihime stood up. Her features were set with determination. She wasn't even thinking about whether it was proper for HER to do a thing like that, she just grabbed a pillow herself.

'How do we do it?' she asked quickly, sounding firm.

The only thought in her mind was, that she shouldn't let Karin and Yuzu waist any opportunity to have fun with their brother... Life was just too short to make mistakes like that...

The twins looked at her with wonder at first, but then identical grins spread across their faces...

oOoOoOo

Ichigo hang up, at the end of the conversation, being irritated. Stupid Keigo had managed to drive him up the wall again. The Idiot had finally found himself a girlfriend too, a state he'd been trying to achieve for years now, and he was so happy about it, that he wanted to celebrate, by going to a double date with Ichigo and "Orihime-chan". Like he'd ever agree to something like that... Problem was, that Keigo could be really "insistent" when something like this came to his mind, and he didn't want to take no for an answer at first. It took Ichigo threatening him with showing his butt into his face, before he got the message... And even then, he had to listen to his whining about "cruel friends" for at least ten minutes.

Ichigo began to go back upstairs, when suspicious sounds reached his ears, coming from above. Laughter, giggles, and a few soft, playful screams...

_'What the hell...?'_ he thought confused. Those sounds just felt too... girly...

He mounted the stairs, cautiously. He saw someone dart past from one room to the other, followed by an other set of giggles, but he couldn't even tell who it was.

He reached the top. A few feathers littered the floor here and there, but nobody was in sight. He started to feel a little uneasy.

'Inoue?' he called uncertainly.

_Wham!_

Something collided with him, smacking him right in the face. He grabbed it with surprise, feeling the soft surface of a pillow in his hands. And suddenly, he was being invaded... There were loud cries and shrieks from all directions, and pillow after pillow came flying in the air.

'Girl power!'

'Sisters unite!'

'Whiiii!'

'All out war!'

At first, even his battle instincts were stunned into silence. He remembered that Yuzu and Karin had liked to play pillow-fights with him when they were little, but he had no idea what got into them now. The ferocity of their attack, however left him no choice, so he reflexively, grabbed a pillow, and ducked behind a door-frame, waiting his opening for a counter-blow. Once he spotted a promising looking brown head as target, he aimed, and fired his pillow. Yuzu squeaked.

Ichigo laughed. It felt oddly satisfying.

'Got ya!' he shouted, but he nearly bit his tongue with it, because right at that moment, Karin aimed an other pillow at the back of his head from close up. She only laughed, hearing his angry grunt, and quickly ran for it, before Ichigo could throw the pillow back at her.

As Ichigo pursed Karin, he received an other pillow right into his stomach.

'Way to go, Hime-nii!' Karin approved, completely changing her average way of addressing the older girl in the heat of the moment.

Ichigo's eyes widened slightly, as he got a glimpse of his girlfriend's auburn hair, before she hid herself in his room, giggling, just like Karin and Yuzu. But he had no time to dwell on the matter, because a new round of pillows were thrown at him. He tried a different approach now, and instead of hiding, he just waited it out, gathering up the soft "weapons".

Ichigo looked around, searching for new threats, but none came. He grinned.

'What's the matter? Ran out of your pillows this quickly?' he taunted the girls.

He started to approach the girls' hiding place, bringing all the pillows in his arms, and bearing a triumphant, slightly arrogant expression on his features.

A figure danced in front of him, holding a large blanket in her hands. He had just time to realize it was Orihime, before she uttered one single word amidst almost uncontrollable giggles:

'Bankai!' and she dropped the blanket over his head.

Three set of hands gripped the side of the blanket, and pulled. Ichigo fought, but his legs got entangled, and he fell down to the ground.

'Look at the mighty warrior!' Karin laughed. 'Taken completely over by innocent little girls!'

'Innocent my …' Ichigo cursed. He felt fingers thug at his shirt, untucking it, and start tickling the exposed skin on his stomach. Other fingers wondered teasingly to his neckline, and armpits... This was without question a low blow!

Orihime was watching the two younger girls delightfully torturing their brother. She bit her lips, as they suddenly went dry. She had enjoyed the pillow-fight very much, but didn't know if she should participate in something like this... But she wanted it. Badly.

'Come on, Orihime-chan!' cried Yuzu, but in truth, she had been already decided before she could have spoken. She put all doubts out of her mind, as she joined the happy jumble...

It suddenly dawned on Ichigo that the not too flattering sounds in the air were coming from his own mouth... he had to do something very fast, if he didn't want to resign himself to the embarrassing fate of being tickled to a girlishly giggling heap of jelly. With a desperate cry, he raised himself from the ground, throwing down the blanket and the girls holding it. He didn't think twice about what to do: he grabbed everything he could gather in his arms, girls, blanket, and all, and rushed with them to his own room, dropping the whole bunch down on the bed. He was rewarded for his actions by delighted squeaks and screams. It didn't feel like the girls minded being handled this roughly at all... Three pairs of exhilaratedly shining eyes followed him move, when he jumped on top of the pile.

'Payback time!' he announced. He knew that Yuzu was ticklish, and Karin even more so, no matter how she tried to pretend otherwise. His hands automatically descended on any exposed skin they came across. Somewhere in the back of his mind, it registered, that Orihime seemed to be very ticklish on her neck, and he put the information away carefully for future reference...

All four of them was laughing themselves silly, completely carefree, letting all barriers down. For the time being, they were eight year old kids again, playing naturally.

Suddenly responsibility returned to them, as they heard a loud "bang" from downstairs. It was the front door closing. All of them froze.

'I'm hoOoOoOome!' came Isshin's singing, cheery voice from bellow.

'Shit! It's the old man!' Karin choked. 'Come on Yuzu! Quick! Let's head him off... you remember the last time we let Goat-chin in on a game of pillow-fight!'

Yuzu paled somewhat.

'Yeah! You're right. Definitely not a good idea!'

The two twins quickly untangled themselves from the bed.

'This was sure fun, Ichi-nii!' Karin grinned, arranging her hair to a more natural state.

'Yes, thanks, Onii-chan!' Yuzu gave him a swift kiss to the cheek, before running from the room, dragging her shirt down on the way.

Orihime and Ichigo remained alone, on the bed, him being right on top of her... As the adrenaline started to clear from her system, Orihime's face began to shine in more and more brighter colors. But Ichigo didn't release her, or moved at all.

'Um... Kurosaki-kun?'

His eyes bore into hers, and very-very slowly, a wolfish grin materialized on his face.

'You're so cute dishevelled like that!' and he swooped down to kiss her...

oOoOoOo

A week later, Ichigo and Orihime was sitting on the sofa, side by side, watching a movie. She leaned comfortably into him, resting her chin on his shoulder, and he had an arm around her waist. His other hand was holding her's, their fingers twisting together.

Yuzu came in bringing them a tray of her home made cookies, and she smiled happily, contently at the pair. They thanked her, and she left, tactfully leaving them alone. When the movie's plot reached the romantic scene, Orihime shifted a little, and Ichigo grinned. He leaned down for a quick, sweet kiss.

The peace was broken, when two people ran to the room unexpectedly. Rukia was hauling a scowling Renji behind her, who wore thick, dark glasses over his eyes.

'Oi! Orihime! You here?... Sorry Ichigo! Out of the way! We need damage control!'

Ichigo stood up, directing his attention to Renji.

'Was there an attack?' he asked seriously. Orihime also raised, her anxious eyes searching the two soul reapers' body for any injury.

'No! No! It was nothing like that!' Rukia assured them quickly. 'It was just a stupid accident! But since Renji is a Captain now, we really cant have him running around like this!' she announced, with a little irritation in her voice. She tried to remove the glasses from her boyfriend's face, but he danced out of her reach. 'Oh, just show it already! She's got to see!' Rukia snapped.

Renji reluctantly removed the piece of clothing. His left eye was swollen with a gruesome looking bruise.

'Oh, that looks bad... what happened?' asked Orihime, concerned.

Renji sent a scowl to Rukia.

'Believe it or not, some IDIOT told my gentle, loving, caring future wife...' he said, poking her stomach with every word he spoke. '... that a pillow-fight is good for loosening-up your lover... as if I'd need anything like that in the first place...'

Rukia blushed.

Orihime and Ichigo both sweat-dropped. Orihime good naturedly managed to contain herself, and activate her golden healing dome without further questions, but Ichigo had to excuse himself to move his sudden laughing fit to an other room...

_A/N: Review, anyone?_

_(By the way, many thanks to all the kind people reviewing my one-shoot, "Heart over head". I couldn't believe how popular it turned out to be! Each and every word in your letters just made my heart melt!)_


	9. Stolen moment

_A/N: Let's continue things with the same topic as last time: the importance of touches in a relationship... or in starting one...(Don't worry, this still remains well within T rating...)_

_Turn back now, if you're not up to reading totally fluffly, cheezy, girly stuff! You have been warned!_

_Just one side comment : about Ichigo's new powers in the manga (spoiler!)... To me, it seems he's now able to use his soul reaper powers with his real body, just as he had used his fullbring earlier. I'm still not 100% convinced about this, but in this particular story, I'll go with this assumption..._

_Setting: after the fullbringers_

Stolen moment

It happened on a Sunday afternoon...

The radio's voice filled the air, a nice song was playing, with a fast rhythm. Orihime was running to and forth in her small little kitchen, spinning like a gyroscope top, singing along with the radio in a loud voice. A large courgette was in her one hand, and she was simultaneously using it as a microphone, and cutting it up with the knife in her other hand.

When only a little chunk remained out of her microphone, she put it into the large dish, and started opening her cabinets. Now came her favorite part! The spices and herbs! She took out no fewer than seven boxes, and arranged them in a neat line before herself, smiling fondly. Then her expression became pensive, and she reached back inside the cabinet once more, to add an eights box... When this was done, she sighed contently.

The rhythmic song have ended, and now the newsreader's voice filled the air, so Orihime turned the radio off. She needed to concentrate on her masterpiece! And the most complicated part was still before her! She went to the counter, and lifted up the big round ball of the large coconut she had to cut up... She placed it on the chopping board, and she opened her drawer to extract the biggest kitchen knife she had.

'Here goes nothing...' she tried to encourage herself.

First she tried to merely cut it. Of course it wasn't that easy... Then she tried to puncture it with the knife's tip. That didn't work either. Even the end of her tongue was sticking out as she wrestled. The knife slid and trembled dangerously. Finally she gave up. A cute little pout settled on her features.

'Now that's not very nice of you Coconut-san! And you are the key ingredient, I simply can't do it without you!' she sent a mild scowl to the large fruit, that was supposed to show her anger. She gripped the knife in both her hands, and tried again, with even more force. She stopped, panting.

'Oh, please! Just open up! I promise to make a real delicious stew out of you! Come on!' she begged. Then she leaned closer to the coconut's surface. 'Hallooo? Is anybody in there?' she cried quite loudly, then put her one ear there, to listen for any response.

Suddenly she jerked her head away, as she heard movement from behind her back. She was alone in her apartment, and wasn't expecting any visitor... Her heart skipped a beat, and she felt fear as she started to turn. But she was addressed before she could turn properly.

'Inoue?'

Orihime released a big shaky breath.

'Kurosaki-kun!' She straightened up properly, and faced her visitor with a blushing face.

Ichigo stood in her doorway, his face showing confusion and anxiety. Then his cheeks started to turn pink too.

'Sorry... I didn't want to butt in... or frighten you. But you were shouting... and the door was open, so I just... What were you doing anyway?'

'Umm... Cooking! I was trying to reason this coconut into opening up for me, because apparently, I was getting nowhere with force...'

'I see...' he said, his eyes wandering between her and the coconut dumbly. Finally he got himself together. 'All right. I guess I can help you.' he stated, tossing the bag he had been carrying to one of her chairs. 'Maybe this is not the appropriate way to do it either, but I really don't want to rush back home for a saw... stand back!'

Orihime did. She felt his spiritual pressure flare, and the next moment he was standing there in his black shikansho, and before she could blink, he took Zangetsu in his hand, and aimed it carefully at the coconut. He wasn't using force: he didn't want to refurnish her kitchen... Zangetsu just slid through the hard surface as though it was butter.

'Wow! Thanks!' Orihime cried enthusiastically. 'Next time, I'll use Tsubaki to cut a coconut! It just didn't occur to me to use my powers for something like this... Maybe Tsubaki-kun would be indignant...'

Ichigo changed back, and sent her one of his half-smiles. That was when she remembered how unexpected his arrival had been.

'Kurosaki-kun... What are you doing here... I mean... was there a reason why...'

'Yes... Inoue... Can I ask a favor?' he looked uncomfortable, and he started avoiding her eyes.

This made her very curious.

'Yes?' she said, in an encouraging tone.

'But you must promise to tell me if you're not ok with it!'

'Ok...' she said hesitantly, even more curious.

'Can I... er... would it be all right if I would just hang around here a bit? My Dad's having the Clinic renovated, and everything is turned upside down back home... Dad's ecstatic, Yuzu's desperate, Karin has shouting matches with the workers... I just need a quiet place to study for the finals. I promise not to get in your way... Yesterday, I went to Chad's, but he's working today. Tatsuki wasn't home either...'

'She has karate practice.'

'Right. Karate practice. And I've tried the Urahara shop, but there were a bunch of weirdoes in there... I mean others than the usual bunch...'

Orihime studied his expression as he spoke... The usual scowl was there, but it had none of it's "wildness". His tone, which she was sure he meant to be disapproving, angry and careless came out rather tired and weary instead. His shoulders were bent, and there were bags under his eyes... Thinking about it more, Orihime realized the young soul reaper had been looking rather weary for some time now. She could even recall an incident a few days back in school, when Ochi-sensei had told him off for falling asleep during class...

Then it occurred to her, that she still hasn't said anything to his request, so she quickly spoke up to amend that.

'Of course you can stay here! Do you need a table, or...'

'No, just a place to sit.'

She smiled at him, and motioned for him to follow her to her living room. He brought his bag.

'Um... you can sit anywhere you want, but that crouch is probably the most comfortable place you'll find...'

'Thank you. Are you sure I'm not disturbing you?'

'I'm sure! What can I bring for you? A tee? Or an orange juice?'

'No, nothing, thank you! I don't want to impose, really... I just...'

'It's no trouble at all! I'm glad I can help!'

Ichigo studied her sincere smile for a moment.

'All right. A tee then.'

She nodded happily. 'Maybe I'll join you later, and we can study together! I just need to finish my stew!'

She walked out to her kitchen, leaving him there. While heating the water for the tee, she finally had time to think. And after one minute, she was able to think something else than: _'Oh my gosh! He is in my living room... he sits on my __crouch__... we are alone in my apartment... Oh my gosh!' _Saying that she was happy to have him there, would be an understatement... She was honored, really, that he regarded her a close enough friend, and felt so comfortable with her around, that he had come to her, when in need of some tranquility. She wowed to herself, that she would do everything in her power to make him feel at home... Starting with this tee!

She only fiddled around with it as long as to give herself some time to cool down, then she went inside and presented a large mug to him. Ichigo had already arranged his pile of books and notes next to him, and he even had a pen in hand. He put it down though, to be able to take the tee from his host.

'Thank you!'

He gripped the mug with both hands, blowing on it, to make it cool faster. She just stood there, watching his weary face, dancing from her one foot to the other, and finally she just couldn't help asking.

'Are you tired?'

He awarded her with a smile for noticing the obvious.

'You seem to be tired a lot lately...' she said tentatively.

'Don't worry... I'll get over it. It's just that... so much is happening right now...'

'Is it just the renovation at home? Or the finals? Or is there more?' she tried to ask further. She didn't want to pry, but after all, she knew very well that there were more... the soul reaper duties...

Ichigo understood what she was asking, and answered.

'Yeah... freaking hollows find this a most convenient time to throw parties in the world of the living too...It's not like they would care about my graduation grades!' Then he hastily added. 'Don't think I'm complaining! I'm so glad I got my powers back, and I'm able to protect the innocent again. I'd do ten times this much, if I had to...'

She smiled. 'I know that...'

Silence settled around them. Ichigo tasted his tee, with a content sigh. Orihime found she didn't like seeing him like this, but didn't know what she could do for him.

'Well... I'll leave you to study then...' she said after a minute, and retreated to her kitchen awkwardly.

In ten minutes, she was totally lost in the happy task of cooking, and almost completely forgot her previous unease. She couldn't help it: she was always like this when inventing new combinations... and she even found her guest's presence oddly inspiring. The closeness of his familiar, strong spiritual pressure, which she had missed for 17 month, made her smile continuously.

Only once did she permit herself a swift peek into the living room. Ichigo was still sitting on the crouch, immersed in one of his books. His face was cutely scowling, even when reading... Orihime giggled silently, and her heart felt strangely warm, in a good way...

She returned her attention to stirring the stew, humming quietly, merrily. She tasted it a few times, and finally she decided it was ready. She had just turned off the heat under the pot, when she heard movement again, and Ichigo came in the kitchen, looking kind of miserable, like some lost little puppy... All Orihime's previous concern reawakened in an instant.

'Do you have something for headache?' he asked.

'Um... I store my medicament up there...' she pointed up to one of her cupboards. '… in a blue box... could you get it down?'

He nodded. Of course he didn't need to stand on her chair to do it, like she would have... He lifted the box down, and put it before her. Orihime started riffling through the contents.

'My Dad gave me these useless homeopathic candies...' Ichigo said, scowling. 'I really need something stronger, as it have been hurting since yesterday.'

'Uh! That must be bad... I'm so sorry! But I'm sure I will find something for it here... Ah! This will do!' Orihime announced happily. 'It has an elephant picture on the box... I guess that has to be strong enough... I got it when my elbow was hurt during a volleyball match...'

'Let me see...' Ichigo took the box from her, and read the notices. 'Thanks! This will be fine!' he declared after a minute. He started to walk back to the living room, but Orihime called after him.

'Kurosaki-kun! Um... dinner is almost ready, and I'm sure you are hungry... I heard somewhere that an empty stomach can make headaches even worse!'

He turned, looking back, and his eyes were uncertain. Orihime knew it was because he thought it impolite to accept her offer, since he had intruded on her without invitation... So she added in her most begging voice possible: 'Please!'

He smiled.

'Ok...'

Orihime smiled back, happiness radiating from her like sunlight. She started to set the table, and Ichigo only walked away long enough to take one of the painkillers with the remains of his tee, before coming back to assist her. She handed him the plates, still smiling.

'Besides, it's only fair that you get to taste the result, since you helped with the preparations!'

He looked confused for a moment, then recalled the coconut.

'Oh... yeah...' he only now began to wonder vaguely what was in store for him...

When they sat down, and Orihime began serving, she started to babble about different ingredients, and his stomach instantly started to turn over, just imagining them... So he quickly silenced her.

'Inoue... I'm sure it will be delicious, but I think I don't want to know the contents before I tasted it...'

He quickly grabbed his chopsticks, and put a large piece in his mouth. He closed his eyes, as he savored the tastes... Finally he smiled. Just as he had expected: it was unusual, unexpected, but still nice. A little sweet, a little sour, a little salty... It was like Inoue herself. And since it was, it was no surprise he liked it!

Orihime gave a relieved sigh, when she saw his reaction. After all she had been told not one time before how weird her cooking tasted to others... But luckily, Kurosaki-kun seemed to like this particular stew.

After they ate, and after she strongly declined his offer to help with the dishes, she sent him back to study. When she put the last clean plate to the dryer, Orihime went to her room, and brought her own books out to study with him, as she had promised. Ichigo shifted over to give her more room on the other end of the crouch.

'What are you studying?' she asked.

'History... I hate memorizing these freaking dates!' he answered with a worthy scowl.

'Yeah! I know! That's hard for me too... I always make these charts you see. A time-line. I mark every event on it, and I find they are easier for me to remember after seeing visually what was before and what after...' She extracted one of the hand-made charts she was talking about from one of her books. 'See, like this!'

She removed the pile of books separating them to the floor to be able to move closer. Ichigo took a look. The time-line was colored, it had all the dates, but it also had little drawings of battles, and chibi Captains signing important contracts, and ships sailing to unknown lands, and everything that referred to what happened on those particular dates. He laughed.

'Wow... this looks cool! You had to put a lot of work in this! I bet you'll have no trouble at all with history exam!'

They had a good time looking over Orihime's chart. Ichigo laughed at some of the drawings, and asked questions about others. They opened the history book now and then to see the details. Finally they questioned each other.

After history, they moved on to physics. That turned out to be a very lucky choice, because it was easily Ichigo's best subject, and it was now his turn, to shed light on some shady points in Orihime's knowledge. He really understood it all, and he was good in tutoring it too. He tried to explain the different formulas to her patiently, but he couldn't help yawning now and then.

It was getting late, the sky outside started to turn darker. After a while, Orihime proposed they take a little brake. He only nodded, with an even larger yawn than the ones before.

Orihime giggled.

'Sorry...' he apologized.

'Did you have any sleep at all last night?' she asked, half teasingly.

'Between the three separate hollow attacks, you mean?' he asked sarcastically.

'That many?'

'Yeah... and believe it or not, at 4 in the morning, when I finally thought I could rest a little, a messenger showed up from Soul Society, inviting me to a Captain's meeting... I know it's an honor that the old man thinks so highly of me now, and I'm grateful for him agreeing to the restoration of my powers, but... I was really tempted to beat that poor messenger to pieces...'

Orihime only smiled at him fondly.

'I know I've done things like this in the past, and dealt with it well, but it's even harder now, with the finals so close, and everything... and you see... my body is a problem!'

She blinked. 'What?'

He didn't notice her puzzled expression, he just continued his rant, getting more and more into it.

'Until now, I've been doing all this in spirit form. I needed rest, but I could go on without any sleep, even without really having to eat, for what felt like days! It's good, that I no longer have to shad my body, leaving it behind like an empty shell, or even worse, fill it with Kon... but the price I have to pay, is that I'm limited by human needs... I continuously train for bringing my body up to good enough shape, one that's able to keep up with my spiritual powers, but I must say I'm still not satisfied... This damn weak body!' he cursed angrily, punching his own chest in frustration.

Orihime was just looking at him, her eyes widening more and more. She looked to the place where he had hit himself, following the outlines of toned, hard muscles under the fabric of his shirt. She studied his huge biceps, as it strained because he was balling up his hand into fist in his anger.

Kurosaki-kun weak?

'I think... you are... er... way too hard on yourself...' she said, blushing.

'It's my duty to protect, Inoue, and I must do everything I can in order to get stronger!'

She looked at him sadly. His facial expression was painfully familiar to her, and she thought she understood some of what he wasn't saying. Guilt...

'Are you still feeling angry with yourself about what happened with the fullbringers?' she asked, avoiding his eyes.

He jumped slightly. He didn't expect such an open question. And he was sure he had never talked to anyone about those feelings, let alone Inoue! He remained silent for a long time, before finally answering.

'Yes... that was totally my fault...'

'No it wasn't!...' she wanted to defend him, but he wasn't listening.

'… Everybody were in danger because of me! Because I wanted my powers back so badly...'

'Nobody's blaming you for that! Even Ishida-kun said...'

'And when I did get my powers back... I knew I would sacrifice it again, that very instant, if I could get you all back in return, and free you from under Tsukishima's charm... You have no idea how terrifying it had been... seeing you all like that... turning accusing, disappointed, alien eyes on me...'

'Kurosaki-kun...'

'I can't sleep well. Not even when I could... I'm still having nightmares...' he finally admitted in a quiet voice.

Then he suddenly shook himself, smiling a large, but fake smile for her.

'Oh... I'm so sorry, Inoue... I didn't want... can we just forget everything I said, and get back to studying, please?'

Orihime's heart ached, and she wished to continue the conversation, but she could also see, that he wouldn't let her closer than that today... This made her sad, because she knew that if this issue was really troubling him this much, then only speaking about it more would help... But she was not a girl to force anything.

'Ok.' she said gently. 'Is your head better now?'

He looked apologetic. 'Not really... It still hurts... I think it's because of my neck... I got it strained during training and now it's all stiff!' he reached up, and massaged his own neck with closed eyes, and a frown.

If you would have asked Orihime later, she would have said it was instinctive... She was just overcome with the need to do something for him... to make it better for him... She was on the move before she could really think about it. She rose to her knees, shifting behind him... Only when her hands connected with his skin did the full consequences of the actions she was just about to take hit her. But there was no going back...

Ichigo's eyes fluttered open in shock. He had heard Orihime move, indicated by the rustle of her robes, then something warm and soft touched his neck. Delicate fingers danced across his skin, massaging lightly, making his blood run wild...

It was a few moments before Orihime trusted her voice enough to speak.

'It really is stiff... I can feel it...'

Ichigo wanted to answer, but had nothing really intelligent to say, so he opted to remain silent. Inappropriate thought started to invade him, making his cheeks glow, and he really wanted to draw back from her... But then, he realized that the poor girl probably didn't have any idea how her innocent actions could be regarded as an act of seduction... If she had been Yoruichi or Rangiku, Ichigo would just drop them of himself, being angry. But this was naive little Inoue. Maybe she would be hurt by such a reaction. He didn't want that... Besides: there was nothing really wrong with what she was doing, was there? And there was nothing really wrong with him enjoying it either...

Orihime's hands started to work with more force. They slid down towards his shoulders, and even continued a little way under his shirt... She reminded herself, that this was nothing more, than a massage, similar to the ones they gave each other with Tatsuki after a hard training... But there was no denying that the feeling of this massage was totally different... His masculine scent invaded her senses, evoking a feeling similar to dizziness... Luckily, at that moment, her hands found the tight knot which was the source of all the trouble. Ichigo jerked back.

'Ouch!'

'I'm sorry!'

'It's all right... I guess it will only get better if it hurts first.'

'Um... should I do it with more force then?'

'Yeah...'

She resumed her previous actions. Ichigo tried not to hiss and growl too much.

'A little to the left... Aww! Yeah... right there...'

After a while it did become better, the pain lessening, and the muscles warming up nicely. Finally Ichigo was even able to relax into the feeling, letting his shoulders down, and closing his eyes. Even the inappropriate thoughts were silenced somehow. What she was doing to him felt really nice. Parts of his mind were still shouting questions at him, but he really was very-very tired, and the strength and the desire to battle it out have somehow melted away, along with that knot she was working on. So he uncharacteristically silenced every question and doubt, and just enjoyed the moment.

Orihime's first shyness have disappeared, and even though she was still self-conscious, she was so caught up in the moment, that she didn't care. She tried to concentrate solely on her task... on Kurosaki-kun... And she could see that her actions were good for him... She didn't want to stop... After a time, her hands moved more and more gently, until it was more of a caress than a real massage. If he noticed this, he didn't say anything, and that must mean it was fine... And this was enough for her. She looked down on him: he was completely still, breathing evenly. His face was relaxed, even the scowl missing...

Finally Orihime stopped. Her hands remained in place, connected to his skin with a light pressure. She slowly sat down behind him, and gave a very small pull... He obeyed, and leaned back a little. Orihime pulled more, still gently, until his head came to rest on her shoulder. He just let it be, his only reaction being inhaling and exhaling once deeply. Orihime trembled a little, as she moved her hand up, to reach his head. Her fingers dug into his orange locks, combing through them slowly, tenderly.

Both were aware to some extent that what was happening right then was way too intimate for two friends to share... but they ignored it in favor of the enjoyable status quo, not wanting to break or ruin anything...

Orihime was in pure bliss. Her heart felt like exploding with happiness. Her hand was still entangled in his hair, exploring and caressing. She moved on naturally to trace the lines of his face too, with a gentle smile on her own.

'I've always wondered...' he murmured sleepily, breaking the long silence for the first time. 'To me, you always smell faintly like strawberries...'

'It's my shampoo...' she admitted shyly.

'… figures.'

Orihime fought back the round of giggles that wanted to burst forth, by biting her bottom lip. But after she gained her composure back, a big smile remained on her face.

They stayed like this for a long time. Orihime finally stopped moving at all, her hands just embraced him tightly, and she let her head rest on top of his. They were lost in pace and tranquility...

When she finally thought it was time to move, she raised her head again, and looked down.

'Kurosaki-kun?' she whispered.

His eyelids were closed, and his chest rose and fell rhythmically. Her love was asleep in her arms...

oOoOoOo

The phone rang...

'Hello, Kurosaki Clinic. May I help you?'

'Hello, Kurosaki-san? I'm Orihime... Orihime Inoue.' her voice sounded strained from nerves. 'I don't know if you remember me... I'm Kurosaki-kun's classmate from school... his friend...'

'Ah, yes! Hi, Orihime-chan! Of course I remember you! And you don't have to be so formal, you know! Just call me Isshin! What can I do for you at this late hour?'

'Um... I'm calling because Kurosaki-kun had been studying here at my place all afternoon, and he... er... accidentally have fallen asleep on my crouch... I know it's a school day tomorrow, but I just don't see any need to wake him up, and making him walk through all the town... I'll make sure to wake him early tomorrow, to be able to go home and change...'

Silence on the other end of the phone...

'Kuro... I mean Isshin-san?'

'May I ask what are your true intentions with my son, Orihime-chan? I do hope they are honest...!'

'Er... um... what?'

A mad laugh followed, so Orihime had to remove the receiver from her ear for a moment.

'Only kidding... of course he can stay... Thanks for calling, Orihime, dear! ... and sweet dreams to him!'

'Thank you... bye...'

Back in the Kurosaki Clinic, Isshin put the phone down, with a grin on his face.

'Man! I never knew the kid was this damn good!' then a slightly indignant look formed. 'Even better than I was his age!'

oOoOoOo

Ichigo woke up to the sweet fragrance of freshly made coffee in the air. He opened his eyes slowly, and blinking, as he saw a figure standing before himself. But it was not his silly father, about to jump right into his face... It was an angel...

Then his brain slowly started to function again, and the full weight of reality hit him. He jumped up, making the blanket he'd been covered with fall off the crouch.

'Oh, no! I fell asleep! Inoue! I am so...'

She quickly put a finger to his mouth, silencing him effectively.

'None of that! It was no inconvenience, and you really needed this sleep. Have you slept all right?'

'Perfectly...' he said slowly, still recovering. Then he suddenly looked scared. 'Oh, damn! My family! They...'

'It's all right, I took care of that too. I called your Dad to say you were staying the night.'

His eyes bulged.

'You... you did?'

She nodded.

He shook his head. 'This will be pretty... I'll never live it down... not if I live to be a hundred...'

She giggled. 'Coffee?'

He smiled at her. 'Yes, please!' He took the mug from her, and took a sip. 'Ahh! Cinnamon?' he asked with closed eyes.

'Yes.' she answered, fidgeting a little nervously.

'It's good.'

He ran one hand through his tousled hair, and grinned up at her, mischievously. 'You'd better watch out, you know... I could get used to this!'

Her cheeks turned crimson, but she laughed.

Ichigo drank the coffee, but he didn't want any breakfast, as he wanted to rush home fast. He just washed his face with cool water in her bathroom, and prepared to leave.

'Thank you... for everything...' he said to her, standing in the doorway.

She blushed.

'Hey, would you like to come and watch that new monster-movie with me next Saturday?'

Orihime's jaw dropped comically. Ichigo grinned, but this grin was softened with other emotions. He realized that her wonder was not due to the film, but due to him asking her out, and this just made him realize, that with this move, he had made them official... He hadn't been even thinking about that, when he had made the offer... he just felt like it... But he was all the more glad now that he had...

He reached out, and put a finger under her jaw, closing her mouth back for her playfully.

'So?'

She gulped. 'Yes... of course... I'd love to!' she said, barely above a whisper.

Ichigo still kept that finger under her jaw, and was now looking into her eyes deeply. Orihime saw some hesitance in his eyes, before he leaned in, and gave her a soft, swift kiss to the cheek. True, it had been just to her cheek, but it had been intimate, and she was sure he was not that kissing-type, usually...

'See you in school!' he promised, while he turned to leave.

'Yes... see you!' she greeted too, feeling so ecstatic and filled with energy, that she could have climbed a mountain... Or flew to the Moon and back...

oOoOoOo

_A/N: There, you got it... Simple, and pure fluff. Hope you enjoyed it!_

_Poor Orihime is yet unaware of the fact that even the strongest man turns into a whining kitty, if he feels even a little unwell! (Sorry male readers, I know there could be exceptions, as always :-) Wait... are there really male readers still around?)_

_I'm anxiously waiting your reviews, please don't let me down!_


	10. Shining

_A/N: Something short, but extremely sweet! I must say, I really-really like this! (At least the idea... I won't vouch for how it's written, I did it in a rush...)_

Shining

It was a rare period of peace...

The confusing business with the fullbringers was finally over. Ichigo got his powers back, and could protect the innocent again. Rukia and Renji came to the World of the living this time not to fight hollows, not to announce some lunatic planning to destroy the world, but to just enjoy themselves with their friends.

The girls walked a little ahead as the party neared the park. Orihime and Rukia were filling each other in on what happened during last year. Orihime wanted to know everything concerning her friend's promotion, and she inquired her about her other soul reaper friends, especially Rangiku, and Captain Hitsugaia. Rukia was a little embarrassed at first, to be speaking this much, but Orihime's earnest curiosity soon put her at ease, and the conversation turned lively, with both of them laughing much.

Ichigo and Renji were walking behind them, being mostly silent. They were expecting Chad to join them later, and even Ishida didn't decline their invitation outright, so that meant that he would most likely show up too. Renji was balancing a volley-ball in his hands. The plan was they would play a friendly match, and Orihime even brought a big picnic-basket for all of them to share. This basket was now swinging in Ichigo's hands: when he had seen Orihime arrive, burdened down heavily, he had immediately relieved her, without one word, only the scowl on his face speaking his disapproval.

'Hey, I almost forgotten how nice the sun feels in this world!' Renji commented. 'Though I still don't particularity like this gigai of Urahara... It's perfect, of course, but I still feel kind of restricted inside it!' he complained, while throwing the ball up, and catching it again.

They had just went through the park's gate, and were now walking between rollerskating, skate boarding and bicycling kids. Orihime (being too caught up in her conversation with Rukia) wasn't walking in a straight line, and her sudden side-stepping caught a little boy on his bicycle off guard. He almost hit her. But Ichigo reached out to grab the bicycle's handlebar, and pulling it a little to the right, he managed to steer it safely away. Orihime never even noticed. Renji only raised an eyebrow, but decided not to comment.

As they walked on, the sweater that was tied to Orihime's waist have somehow untied itself, and fell to the ground. Maybe it was because the girl was now telling Rukia about Tatsuki winning that tournament a few months back, and she was bouncing up and down in her enthusiasm, illustrating the moment of the big victory with a few punches in the air before herself. Ichigo absent mindedly crouched down, and picked up the blue sweater, and put it on top of the picnic-basket.

As they were nearing the volley ball field, they passed a group of boys sitting on a bench. All their heads turned after the merrily laughing auburn haired beauty. One grinned, and telling something to his friends, he stood up. Ichigo doubled his steps, and headed the boy off, before he could reach Orihime. He didn't do anything, he just scowled, but that was enough to send the boy back to his previous place. Renji shook his head.

They finally arrived. The field wasn't occupied, luckily.

'Look! It's all ours! Isn't that great?' Orihime exclaimed. 'Should we do some warm up exercises, until Sado-kun and Ishida-kun arrive?'

Renji threw the ball to her.

'You go ahead... but I'm thirsty!'

'Oh, there is a bottle of lemonade with mint in the basket! And also some plastic cups! Please! Help yourself, Abarai-kun!'

Ichigo put the heavy basket down to a bench in the shadow of a tree, and Renji opened it.

'I have to ask...' he started, squinting at Ichigo amused. 'Doesn't it ever get tiring?'

'What do you mean?' Ichigo asked, his eyes on the girls. 'Erm... excuse me for a minute!' he added hurriedly, and run a little forward, because he just noticed, that a stray football that belonged to the kids playing on the field next to theirs, was flying in Orihime's direction. It would have hit her head square on, but Ichigo put himself in it's way, and headed it back to it's owners, crying:

'Oi! Watch where you kick it, Idiots!'

'Sorry!' the kids replied quickly.

Orihime turned, with a confused expression, but when she realized what happened, her cheeks heated up.

'Thank you, Kurosaki-kun!'

Ichigo only nodded to her, and walked back to Renji.

'What was it that you wanted to ask again?' he asked, while filling a cup with lemonade for himself too.

'Inoue... a lot seems to happen around her.' Renji stated cautiously.

Ichigo scowled.

'Yeah. You could put it that way.'

'And she is not even your girlfriend... technically. Tell me: is there anything you wouldn't do for her?'

There was a taunting edge to his voice, but thankfully Ichigo was not in the mood to excite himself over nothings. He only frowned.

'Inoue is... special. That's all there is to it.'

'How do you mean special?' Renji asked with glee. Boy the Berry was sentimental today!

Ichigo's eyes were lost in the distance. He was thinking hard.

'She... shines.' he finally blurted out simply.

'Shines?' Renji asked stupidly. He was so sure he was going to hear a confession of love, and he fully intended to take advantage of that, taunting Ichigo later. But this answer confused him.

'I have only met very few people with that ability... To shine light to those around them. To make the world a better place, with just living in it.' Ichigo said slowly, still thinking. 'Inoue... she is one. And my mother was like that too. So, to answer your question: yes. I would do anything for her. Because people like her are rare, and precious...'

Renji fell silent. The two boys just watched the girls throwing the ball to each other and laughing. Finally Renji cleared his throat awkwardly.

'Well... no matter how silly that sounds... I kind of understand what you're talking about. Because... Rukia... she shines too. For me.'

Ichigo's eyes widened a little, but then a small, true smile graced his lips.

…...

_A/N: Review, please!_


	11. Tanabata

_A/N: I was invited to FLOL's tanabata contest, but didn't make it in the end. Hope you enjoy this little story here, as part of my Ichi-Hime fluff collection!_

**Tanabata epiphany**

A few days before Tanabata, Orihime, Tatsuki, Ichigo and Chad were walking home from school together. The most chatty of the four was of course the brown haired beauty, who had a merry bounce to her steps, and was swinging her schoolbag to and forth in her hand so enthusiastically, that Ichigo, who was walking next to her had to step aside a few times to evade it.

Not that he minded much. Piece of cake for someone with battle-trained reflexes! Besides, her inattentiveness only showed to him that she was in high spirits, and that was worth it any time. He kept his scowl in place, living up to his image, but his eyes were softer than usual. A clear sign to everyone who knew him well that in truth he was relaxed, and really enjoyed the peace and comfort of their company.

Orihime went on about how Tanabata was her favorite holiday, and how much she looked forward to the festival and especially the fireworks. Ichigo listened more to the musically pleasant flow of her voice than to the actual content. His mind was wandering, but he still noticed that Tatsuki seemed to be giving him annoyed side glances for some unknown reason. He decided to ignore her though: if he could evade a fight with her, he certainly would. He was just not in the mood today...

'Say, Orihime!' Tatsuki cut through her friend's speech unexpectedly. 'Do you have anyone to go with yet? You do remember me telling you that my parents decided to celebrate Tanabata with my cousins this year, so I'll be out of town!'

Orihime jumped slightly, and turned a horrified expression on her best friend. At first, Ichigo thought she had really forgotten about Tatsuki's journey, and that was causing her alarm. But the next moment, Orihime's face turned pleading, and she mouthed something to her friend that he didn't catch, before smiling tentatively, with a trace of embarrassment in it, and saying:

'Of course I remember Tatsuki-chan! But don't worry! I'll be totally ok on my own! I'm sure I'll be able to meet up with everyone. Michiru and Ryo are going, I heard, and Chizuru...'

'But I'm concerned about how you'll get home so late, after the fireworks...' Tatsuki cut in again. 'Too bad you don't have a nice, protective boyfriend I could trust you with!'

Orihime's horrified expression was back, ten times more intense than before. She mouthed another silent plea in Tatsuki's direction, but this time it escaped Ichigo's notice. He had his brows furrowed, imagining Orihime walking home alone through the dark, narrow streets at night, in the not-so-safe part of town her apartment was located in. There was no way he would let that!

'Don't worry Tatsuki. I'll take her to the festival, and make sure she gets home safe.' he announced quickly.

Tatsuki tried to pass her amused grin for an expression of relief and gratitude.

'Thank you Ichigo! I feel so much better now! But, hey! Make sure she enjoys herself, you moron, got that? Treat her fine!'

'Yeah, yeah...' Ichigo murmured with an irritated wave of his hand. 'Like I was going to lead her on a damn leash...'

This last comment relived some of Orihime's embarrassment, and she giggled, though her cheeks were still pink. This was so not how she wanted this to be... Ichigo would AGAIN take her out of only duty, not because he wanted to spend time with her. Like when he was walking her home after school, which was by now an almost daily routine...

'Kurosaki-kun...' she lifted her eyes to him shyly. 'You really don't have to do this for me...'

He turned and smiled at her. His smile was so warm, and naturally sincere, that it simply stopped her heart for a second, and when it started beating again, she felt butterflies take flight inside her stomach.

'Don't be silly. The least I can do! You should have told me instantly you had no-one to go with! I've told you already to tell me if there's anything I can help you with! That's what friends are for, isn't it?'

Orihime returned his smile.

'Yes it is... I only feel a little guilty about always being such a burden...'

'Burden? Inoue! What nonsense!' Ichigo cried angrily. 'Besides: you're the one doing me a favor... at least this year, my old man can be the one to stand by Yuzu while she fishes for her fifth goldfish...' he added, with a painful expression briefly crossing his features.

Orihime giggled again, feeling that maybe there was a small chance this could work out favorably. True, Kurosaki-kun didn't consider their going out together a date, but maybe they would spend a so agreeable time together, that he would change his mind about it after... But she was shaken out of this enticing train of thought, by him speaking up again, this time turning to Sado-kun.

'Are you coming with us too, Chad?'

A peculiar expression appeared on Chad's face at hearing this.

'Mmm... sorry. Busy.' he replied briefly but firmly.

Ichigo only shrugged, showing that he didn't mind either way. Meanwhile, they reached the place where they usually parted. They said their goodbyes, and Ichigo and Orihime continued on together, while Tatsuki and Chad remained behind. Tatsuki was heading for her dojo, which was in the same direction as Chad's home, and on days like this, it was always Ichigo who took the princess home...

'Er... Arisawa-san?' Chad spoke unexpectedly, when they began their walk together. 'Ichigo is my friend, but... has he always been this... dense?'

Tatsuki sighed.

'It's just getting worse! I mean he's nearly 18 now, and he still remains on the emotional level of a 9 year old... But I'm going to shake him out of it, I swear, even if it's the last thing I do!'

…...

Ichigo and Orihime walked all the way to her home being silent. He was thoughtful, and she was embarrassed. Only when they were standing right before the door, and she was searching for her keys did he speak first.

'When do you want me to pick you up? On Saturday, for the festival, I mean...'

'Erm... pick me up? Oh, no! That's not necessary! Not really... We could meet at the park's gate, or...'

Caught up in her embarrassed rumbling, she accidentally dropped the keys. They landed with a loud chatter. 'Oops!'

She immediately crouched down, to retrieve them, but Ichigo did the same. Their heads collided halfway.

'Sorry!' she squeaked instantly.

'Aw! Geez, Inoue, I'm sorry, I only wanted to... Here you are, your keys!' Ichigo said, reaching down, and presenting them to her.

But then, both of them realized just how close they were to each other. Their noises were particularly touching. They could feel each others breathes... feel the warmness from the others skin... count the lashes framing closing down eyes...

Ichigo suddenly panicked. He jerked, releasing her shoulder (he never even realized taking hold of it in the first place) and quickly stepping back. His cheeks were flaming red.

'So! Khm! As I sad: I'll pick you up. How about 4pm? Can you get ready by then?' he asked, speaking in a forced cheery voice. His face bore his fake-smile, the one he always used to hide his discomfort.

Orihime blinked. She had been so sure this time... that he would finally just do it, and kiss her. She swore she had seen it there, in his eyes. But then nothing came out of it. She couldn't help a wave of disappointment run through her. She forced back the sigh threatening to slip from her lips, and smiled. The next moment, she was genuinely happy again. True: he hadn't done it today, but he certainly WANTED to, and that meant, that they were slowly but steadily getting closer. She only had to be patient...

'Of course... 4pm's fine.'

Just a little longer...

...

As Ichigo headed home alone his thoughts were a swirling mess.

_'What just happened? Did I really very nearly kiss Inoue? Why? This just can't be right...'_

While in his opinion a boy wanting to kiss a girl as beautiful as Inoue was quite understandable, and could be regarded normal, trying to actually ACT on that desire, when they were obviously not on that level of intimacy was just unpardonable, a disturbing case of self-control-loss.

_'What was I thinking? Maybe she's scared now... I wouldn't blame her. I mean, we're supposed to be friends. And I'm supposed to protect her, damn it! Not pounce at her, when I got the opportunity, like some filthy pervert! She gets enough of that from other men all the time!'_

The thing was, this wasn't the first time he was forced to acknowledge the existence of some anomalies in his FRIENDLY feelings towards the gentle healer. He began slowly to realize how he was feeling differently towards her than towards his other friends. More protective and solicitudinous, more warm, and more possessive, if he could be forgiven to even think that term. (Not to mention those dreams he was occasionally having about her... nothing friendly about those...) And he had no idea whatsoever how to deal with all that. He really didn't...

_'I feel so lost. Confused. I wish there was someone I could ask about this... Someone trustworthy...Who wouldn't make fun of me, who's advice I can trust... who would understand...'_

He went through the possibilities in his head, listing his closest friends. Keigo of course was out of the question. Who ever was stupid enough to follow that fool's advice, deserved to suffer the consequences... He didn't think he could bare the smug look on Mizuiro's face, if he would try going to him. With Chad, it was just not their custom to talk about emotional matters. Rukia was away, and he didn't think his dilemma was a subject for the shinigami woman association's next meeting anyway. Tatsuki – though boyish – was still technically a girl, so that would be awkward. As for his father... no. Just no. Rather Keigo than him.

He sighed, trying to clear his mind, and braced himself for Isshin's sure-to-come "surprise" attack at the Clinik's front door...

…...

Ichigo went to bed early that night. After arriving home he had studied hard for an hour before dinner, and after it he even sat down to write the complicated essay that was only due for the day after tomorrow. Since he would be working the next day after school, he figured he'd better put that behind him. Luckily, the concentration had been enough to drive the uncomfortable thoughts about Inoue away from his mind, so when his head reached the pillow, and he arranged himself cozily under the comforter, he almost immediately fell into a peaceful sleep...

...

_'Ichigo!' _

His eyes creaked open reluctantly.

'Mmm...'

_'Where's my little Ichi-chan?'_

Ichigo suddenly sat bolt upright. He looked around in his room with wonder, searching... He knew this voice!

_'I promised I would come, so here I am!' _the sweet voice went on, laughing merrily.

'Mom!' Ichigo choked.

Gentle eyes bore into his through the darkness. Her long hair was let down, falling forward freely as she leaned in towards him to brush against his cheek lovingly with a feather light caress. Her hand – just as he remembered it - held a nice fragrance of almond to it, from her favorite type of soap. He just couldn't help closing his eyes, and leaning in for the much-missed touch.

_'My dear sweetheart! Were you afraid? Daddy forgot to leave the night-light on for you again, I see...' _

Ichigo smiled.

'Mom! I'm 17. I no longer sleep with a night-light.'

_'How cheeky!'_ Masaki laughed._ 'My big-big boy! __But let me switch it on anyway, so that I would see you better if I have to come in to tuck you in during the night! You always toss and turn so much!' _

She reached to his bedside table, and to his surprise, the little bunny shaped lamp was standing on it, the one he could distinctly remember owning, but was sure not having seen it for at least a decade now... This made him wonder whether this was a dream he was seeing, a memory, a vision, or something else.

While Masaki turned the lamp on, and smiled in the friendly orange light filling the air, he sat up, intending to take a closer look. But when his comforter had fallen down, his eyes were suddenly occupied with looking at something else. Just what the heck was he wearing? Fluffy, button down pajamas, with strawberry pattern? He groaned.

_'What's the matter Darling?'_

'I don't even remember this one! The lamp yes... but did I really wear hideous things like this?' he asked, not sure if his comment was meant for her, or for himself.

Masaki just laughed.

_'But of course you remember... you're wearing it, because you are proud of the name we've given to you, and because I just love seeing you in it! So cute!'_

He still scowled, sulking.

'It could have been fifteens... I don't mind numbers... much less girly.'

Then it suddenly dawned on him, that dream or not, he finally had a chance of having a conversation with his much-missed mother for the first time since her death, and it was stupid and pointless to argue about man-pride matters right now. Besides, she was his mother, therefore the only person having a right to calling him cute.

'Mom... why are you here?' he asked, a little shyly. 'I mean, I'm glad, really... I've missed you so much...'

_'Well, silly! What could I be here for? I'm here to tell you your bedtime-story, just like every night, of course!' _

This took Ichigo aback for a moment, but she was already pushing him down, and tucking him in gently, and it was just impossible not to relax surrounded by her welcome maternal care. He decided that a bedtime-story wasn't so astounding after all, in the context. And he allowed that even men older than himself would sometimes welcome a little spoiling.

They smiled at each other.

_'How about your favorite, Darling? I think it's been a while since I told you that...'_

'Yeah... that's good...'

Masaki arranged herself comfortably in the armchair next to his bed, which he was pretty sure wasn't there just a moment ago. She took a deep breath, releasing it with a content sigh, and launched into the story.

_'Once upon a time, there was a heavenly kingdom far up in the sky. The king reigned justly over everything, bringing flourish and prosperity to his people. Everybody had their own duty, and everyone worked hard and in harmony, and nobody had to suffer from any need. _

_The king had a daughter, fairest of all maidens. Her beauty and kindness shone through the darkness of the heavens. Day after day she sat on the riverbank, weaving. From under her hands came the most beautiful clothes ever seen in this world, much to the pride and joy of her father.'_

Ichigo listened to her voice, mesmerized. Her tone has changed, bearing all the far-away mysteriousness of a fairy-tail, sounding like it came from the depth of time, bringing the wisdom of long forgotten centuries. Masaki sat in the armchair with her legs tucked under herself, and her hands were absent mindedly wandering through Ichigo's hair, with slow caressing movements. Ichigo closed his eyes, and without conscious though, the pictures his mother described were pained into his mind easily. He saw the waving princess, being immersed in her work, kneeling on the riverbank. The picture was so familiar, that he finally remembered.

Of course. This was the story of tanabata. And it really had been his favorite at some time. As he concentrated on his vision, with the sweet weaving princess, who's long, rich, light-brown locks fell down her back, and who's eyes shone like stars from her lovely face it was easy to realize the cause now: in his mind's eye, he had always seen the star-princess Orihime as a perfect copy of his beloved mother.

_'Seeing his daughter's grief the King arranged a meeting for her with a prince living on the other side of the river...'_

As he story unfolded further, Ichigo slowly opened his eyes. His point of view have changed. He was no longer sitting in bed, but looking down on the scene from the side. His mother was now holding the hand of a little boy Ichigo, who looked up at her with shining eyes as he listened. It was easy to determine now: this really was a long-forgotten memory he was seeing, reawakened and filled with new meaning by his dreaming subconscious. He had no more doubts, this situation, or a very similar one really must have taken place. Only now, he was seeing things in it he didn't have a chance of seeing back when he was living it.

_'The king saw that her newest works lacked colors, that the threads weren't as finely sewn as before. Orihime could no longer give her heart into her work, as it now belonged to Hikoboshi...'_

Some movement caught Ichigo's attention now, and he spotted that his father was standing in the doorway, half concealed, also listening to the story. A soft smile was playing at the corner of his mouth, and he looked so much younger than Ichigo ever remembered seeing him.

_'… and the river, which Orihime used to love so much now stood between them, with no bridge or means of crossing.' _

The little Ichigo in the bed suddenly sat up.

_'__But Hikoboshi went to fight the King, didn't he Momma?'_ he cried excitedly. He left his bed, and stood up, holding an invisible sword in his hand. _'He wouldn't let his Princess be taken away like that! He must have countered the Kind head on, and told him how cruel he was... And they fought, like this!' _

Little Ichigo was still imitating a sword-fight. Unbeknownst to him, Masaki looked up, and her eyes met with Isshin's in the doorway. Both parents had the same expression on their faces. It was a peculiar combination of pride, amusement and anxiety...

Masaki tried to soothe the excited little boy with a kiss to the forehead, and put him back to bed.

_'Well, he did go to the King. He told him how cruel he was being to his own daughter. For it would have been better for them not to meet in the first place, then being separated for forever, when they came to love each other so much. Finally, Tentei agreed that they could meet once every year, on the eve of the seventy day of the seventy month.'_

But suddenly little Ichigo sat up again, fixing his animated stare on his mother intensely.

_'Momma! Will you be my Orihime?' _he suddenly asked, with seriousness in his voice.

Masaki laughed.

_'Of course Darling!'_

Little Ichigo suddenly scowled.

_'But I mean really... not only playing. I love you Mom! Like Hikoboshi loves his Orihime. And I don't want any river to separate us! I want to always be with you! I want to protect you. Always!'_

Masaki smiled warmly.

_'That's very kind of you! But I'm sure that some day... when you're much-much older... you will find a girl, a very special girl, towards whom you'll feel the same way. Or almost.' _

Suddenly Ichigo found himself in his bed again, wearing the strawberry pajamas, and he was looking up at his mother. Masaki's eyes were filled with warm, tender emotions.

_'And if she loves you back almost as much as I do, then I'll be the happiest mother on earth.' _she told him.

Ichigo swallowed hard. He had asked for help... for advice. He was getting his answer right now.

'But Mom... how will I know? How will I find her? Recognize her?' he asked hesitantly and unreasonably shyly.

_'You must trust your heart Ichigo. You will simply know. Maybe her name won't be Orihime, but...'_

Ichigo's eyes rounded. Masaki noticed his bewilderment, so she trailed off tactfully.

_'What is it, Darling?'_

Suddenly Ichigo was laughing. It took Masaki aback for a second.

_'What's so funny?'_

Ichigo closed his eyes, the laughs subsiding into low chuckles, then finally only into a grin.

'Nothing... I love you Mom! Very-very much!'

He threw himself forward, embracing his mother. She somehow felt so little, almost fragile in the cage of his arms now... 'Thank you!'

_'You're welcome.'_

Masaki kissed his forehead, like a blessing.

…...

Next morning, he woke up with the lingering feeling of that kiss, and a smile on his lips.

…...

'Tatsuki-chan! Tatsuki-chan!' Orihime's voice sounded overexcited beyond measure even through the phone. But since it sounded like a "good" overexcitement, Tatsuki merely decided to wait the first tide-waves out, until she could get some more reasonable details out of her slightly crazy friend. Orihime was already rumbling about tanabata wishes, ice-creams with red bean paste (she really hope that the two wasn't related, and that hadn't been her actual tanabata wish...). After about two minutes of nonsense, when Orihime finally drew breath, she managed to say:

'I see. That sounds very nice. But... there must be a real reason you called me for this late at night. On tanabata...'

'…'

'Orihime?'

'Well... actually... there is...' her voice sounded shy.

'What is it?' Tatsuki asked, with excitement.

'I've been thinking that Orihime, the star princess really must have been working hard today. She must be real tired...'

'Why?'

'Because... I wrote her a wish this afternoon. And she already made it come true! I wonder if that's a record...'

'What did you wish for?' Tatsuki asked.

'Well, it was about Kurosaki-kun.'

'You wished for him to fall in love with you?' Tatsuki almost screamed with glee.

'No, of course not!' Orihime's voice hid a slight indignation. 'That would have been highly selfish of me! I could never...'

'Ok, ok! I get it. Then what did you wish for that came true?' Tatsuki held her breath back while she waited for her answer.

'You know I've been thinking lately, that uncertainty is worse than even a certain bad. So I'd probably be better off knowing I had no chance of Kurosaki-kun ever returning my love, then remaining in the dark. So I wished for him to make his sentiments clear to me, what ever they may be...'

Tatsuki nearly bit her tongue with the effort of holding herself back. Orihime let out a big sigh.

'And?' the impatient Tatsuki finally asked.

'And now I'm the happiest girl on this planet!'

The phone line exploded in excited girl-screams...

…...

_A/N: I know! I know what you'll all gonna say: curse me for not writing the actual confession scene. But I like it better this way. It would have been so hard keeping Ichi in character if I did that.(I think that aim is screwed anyway with the conversation with his mother... :-)) Other than that, how did you like it? I so fell in love with the idea of Masaki telling Orihime's story to Ichigo as a bedtime story. And though Chad hardly speaks in this, I like that little role he had in the beginning._

_Review please! (Oh, yeah, I don't know whether it's a custom in Japan to wish "Happy tanabata", or something...)_


	12. Kido can be useful

_**A/N:** This is just a little something that came to my mind... Fluff and humor. Enjoy!_

_**Characters:** Ichigo, Orihime, Rukia, Renji and some others. _

_**Disclaimer:** Bleach belongs to Kubo-sensei. _

_**Spoiler:** Not really, but people up-to-date with the manga will understand some parts better...  
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_...  
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**Kido can be useful...**

Renji was laughing his head off... Ichigo's face was purple from concentration, his muscles strained all over his body, with seat running down his brows.

'I swear, Rukia! The day will soon come when you'll dearly regret agreeing to this!'

'Shut the fuck up, Pineapple-head!' Ichigo grunted, not managing a more sophisticated insult because of his spent state.

Renji grinned wide.

'Don't waist your breath needlessly, Berry! You might still need it!'

But Rukia unexpectedly came to the poor substitute's aid.

'One more comment Renji, and you can join him in practicing! Everyone would agree you need it! After all, you're not that confident with kido yourself.'

Ichigo snickered. Renji turned pail, and quickly muttered something about having promised to help Urahara with something, and he disappeared in the direction of the long ladder that lead up to the main shop. That left the two shinigamis with only Inoue for company, who remained the only stubbornly prevailing member of the original party of four that came to cheer them on. Ishida had left first, saying this was clearly a waist of time, and Chad second, as he had to go to work.

In the first hour or so Orihime kept shouting encouraging remarks to Ichigo, like _'You can do it, Kurosaki-kun!'_ but thick concern have taken the place of the previous enthusiasm by now, so she only sat on top of a boulder, with her legs tucked under herself, and watched silently.

'Stop! That's still no good!' Rukia snapped at Ichigo, being irritated.

Ichigo subtended on the floor, panting heavily.

'Let's try one of the bindings as refreshment now...'

'Refreshment...?' Ichigo barked.

'Sure.' Rukia declared unabashed. 'You've learnt the incantations I gave you to memorize, have you?'

Ichigo grumpily scrambled to his feet again.

'Guess so...'

Rukia only indicated with an impatient wave of her hand that he should demonstrate. Ichigo gritted his teeth.

'Let's see... _Bakudo number 9! Geki ! Disintegrate, you black dog of Ror._.. er...'

'Rodanini! I told you to learn it properly!'

'Give me a break, Midget! You know how much I have to memorize for my school finals? And now even this!'

'_Look upon yourself.._.' Rukia continued.

Ichigo closed his eyes firmly and sighed.

'_Look upon yourself with horror and then __cut.._.'

'Claw! _Claw __out your own throat!_' Rukia's voice screamed with desperation.

'ENOUGH!' Ichigo finally snapped. 'I've head enough! Oh, this is useless anyway! I'll never be able to do it! Besides: I just don't want to! I save Soul Society's ass every other week, and I'm only a subsitute shinigami! They really don't have any authority to order me around, or force me to take any lesson!'

'You should be grateful that I'm wasting my precious time on someone as hopeless as you!' Rukia bellowed back with equal anger. 'It's your fault anyway! Since you were such a reckless idiot, and went to learn that shady "fullbring" technique, our substitute shinigami badge no longer can keep you reiatsu in check even when you're in your human form! It skyrockets with your every whim! Something must be done! That's why Captain Commander Yamamoto assigned me to teach you...'

'I know that already! Geez!'

'Maybe it will help you control your spiritual pressure more, and...'

'All right, all right! Just let's get on with this damn lesson... the sooner we finish the sooner I can go home!'

Ichigo shook his shoulders, took a few deep breathes in a valiant effort of calming himself, and lifted his hands before himself to try the complicated movements that go with the incantation again.

Rukia looked at him, and her face suddenly softened.

'Ichigo... try to look on the bright side. Kido can be useful!'

The boy murmured something that was unintelligible to Orihime's ears as an answer. But Rukia must have been more sharp, because after a quick mad glint in her eyes, she sprang forth, and hit his head.

…...

'I really think you've improved, Kurosaki-kun!' Inoue tried to cheer him up with spirit. 'That last try had been...'

'A complete catastrophe.'

Orihime giggled quietly.

'But thanks anyway, Inoue.' Ichigo smirked back at her.

He was sitting on the ground, crossed-legged, while she was kneeling behind him, healing some insignificant wound left by Rukia's counter attack on his shoulder. As she worked, a lock of her hair fell forward without her notice, brushing lightly against his face. Her sweet flowery scent invaded his senses, and his tired body relaxed gladly at the familiarity of it. Her nearness always managed to calm him down. Somehow the knowledge that she was safe and close made him feel safe too. He was really glad and grateful that she stayed till the end of his annoying practice.

'I've been thinking that you probably only need some proper motive to learn it fully.' Orihime said thinkingly. 'There's nothing wrong with your technique, as far as I can see... not that I'm any expert in kido.'

'Motive?'

'Yeah. After all, so far you have only ever learnt things under great pressure...'

He looked at her a little stunned, not because of the content of her statement, but because of the casual way she said it with. Then he grinned.

'I guess you can say that.'

'Oh!' she suddenly cried. 'There's another wound! Sorry! I didn't realize it sooner!'

'Where?'

'Here.' she said simply, reaching out to push his orange locks back from his forehead to see the small scratch there. But she quickly pulled back the next second, being embarrassed about her own forwardness. Direct touching wasn't exactly forbidden, only extremely scarce between them. She lowered her eyes to the ground, muttering another apology. But he surprised her by reaching out for her hand, which was still halfway through lowering, and pulling it right back.

His move was fast but the touch gentle. He held her hand, and pushed her palm flat against his cheek. Orihime's eyes snapped up to his, round, unbelieving. There was something in his answering stare, some new vulnerability she had never seen there before. Like his eyes were begging. He slowly released her hand, his own sliding down the length of her arm feather-lightly before breaking contact. But he kept leaning in to her touch, allowing, but clearly not wanting her to draw back.

'You can make everything right so easily...' he said, and she wasn't exactly sure if he meant her healing, or something else.

'Kurosaki-kun...'

Her thumb started to move hesitantly, brushing the warm skin of his cheek, while her other fingers slid upwards and lost themselves in the tresses of his hair. He closed his eyes briefly, enjoying her touch. When he opened them again, they were smoldering with intense emotions.

'Inoue...' Ichigo whispered, trying to put a lot of unsaid things into only that one word.

Everything he felt, he saw it mirrored in the girl's eyes. He had known for quite a long time now how important Inoue was in his life. He knew very well how he didn't have any right to feel like he had any kind of claim on her, but that didn't change the fact that he needed her. She was the balance. The sunlight breaking through the endless gloom of night. She was always there, standing behind him, patient, understanding and accepting. She had seen him through it all. Like today, she had always stayed, to whatever end. And after all the darkness she always had a smile for him, or made him laugh with some crazy remark... She was his safe-harbor, the ever coming relief of dawn. The normality. Life, after no matter how many deaths. He felt that the world could come undone, with everything crumbling he had lived for or believed in, and he would still be able to find himself amidst all the broken parts in the depth of her wise gray eyes, in her gentle touch... To him she felt like coming home.

'Ichigo!' Rukia barged in the room without warning. 'The same time tomorrow, and don't forget to memories the new incantations! I expect you to...' she continued, never realizing that she was interrupting some moment.

The two orange-heads quickly jumped apart, like birds from a thrown stone, their faces slightly pink.

…...

A few weeks later the war with the Vandenreich broke out. It lasted more than the pre-promised five days, and Soul Society's victory could only be earned through many drops of tears and blood.

'Today, we came here to celebrate... and to grieve.' Yamamoto's powerful voice carried through the silent crowd facing the stand where the Thirteen Court Guard Squad's Captains lined up. 'We have much to be thankful for. Though our losses are severe, we stood our ground, and managed to return the balance of things, bringing peace to all three worlds...'

Renji shifted uncomfortably in his pristine new robes (his old ones were left in no condition for making a public appearance after the battle) while Yamamoto spoke some more about their "sacred duty as soul reapers" and the "noble sacrifices". The Captain Commander then read the list of names... It was a long, sorrowful list, having all ranks of soul reapers on it, from common soldier to Captain. Yamamoto then asked them to remain silent for a few minutes to honor the fallen. When the time passed, he thanked them, and moved on to list the ones distinguishing themselves somehow on the battlefields. He gave out shiny medals as a token of gratitude, and in some cases, people were moved up ranks. Both Renji and Rukia had to walk out to the podium to receive equal medals from the hands of their Captains.

'And finally...' Yamamoto began again. 'There are a few others we must be grateful to. Of course I'm talking about the substitute soul reaper, Ichigo Kurosaki, and his friends who came willingly to our aid again.'

Renji turned to Rukia next to him.

'Come to think of it, where's the Berry? I'm sure I haven't seen him... have you?'

'No.' Rukia whispered back. She was looking around nervously. 'I'm sure he got the invitation though... This will be pretty! That Idiot could never care for formalities!'

'Give him a break.' Chad said simply but unexpectedly from behind their backs. 'He has much to recover from. After the last battle here, he went to Hueco Mundo to make sure everything was right there. I think he's resting now.'

'I haven't seen Inoue-san either.' Uryu noted, also appearing.

'Really? That's strange.' Rukia said. 'She's so dutiful most of the time... I had no doubts of her coming at all...'

'But you know how she's been healing 24 hours in these last days.' Renji cut in. 'I wouldn't be surprised if she just passed out from exhaustion after it, and forgot about this stupid ceremony altogether.'

'Yeah... I guess you're right.' Rukia answered with a frown.

So when Yamamoto said Ichigo's and Orihime's names after Chad's and Uryu's the two boys just walked back to the podium in their friends places, taking the gifts (a symbolic Captain's haori, bearing the number '15', and a healing bag like the members of squad 4 carried, only weaved with golden tresses in the tissue) for them. (Chad and Uryu both got medals, that resembled Ichigo's substitute badge, only with different markings, and Captain Ukitake told them how they could be used for communicating with each other as well as with Soul Society in time of need. Uryu also got a device from Urahara that enabled him to cleanse a hollow instead of destroying it.)

Uryu and Chad came back next to their friends again laden down with the gifts, and when the crowd began to dissolve, the ceremony being over, they searched each others faces questioningly. Rukia was the first to voice all their thoughts.

'Well... let's go find them...'

…...

**_/a little earlier.../_**

'Inoue...'

'Kurosaki-kun! You're back!' Orihime shouted, her joy at seeing him written clearly on her features. 'Just wait a second, I'm nearly finished. You see, this poor little boy is from the 68'th district of the Rukongai. He lost an arm because of an explosion, and I'm the only one who can help him.' she smiled down on the boy sitting under her yellow dome, who was watching the process of his arm growing slowly back from nothing with awe. 'It will be as good as new!' Orihime assured him happily. Then she turned to Ichigo again. 'Do you need any healing too?'

The substitute didn't seem to be in any pain, but her eyes scanned his body carefully nonetheless, searching for wounds. Ichigo smiled, being a little amused.

'No, thanks. That's not what I came here for. I... I just wanted... well... to see you.'

Orihime's bewilderment at his words was not lost on him, and it only heightened his embarrassment. He began scratching the back of his neck distractedly.

'I thought I could pick you up, and we could... you know... go to the ceremony together...'

Orihime's bewilderment this time was of a totally different kind.

'Ceremony? Is it today? Oh no! I totally forgot!' she panicked.

'Relax! You still have time. Just finish your work without hurry. I'll be waiting outside.'

When Orihime finished healing the boy's arm, she went to her temporarily room offered to her by Captain Unohana herself to change into the fresh kimono she received from the same woman's courtesy for the coming occasion. Since she was helping so much Unohana very much treated her like a favorite daughter. She slipped the fine, nicely cool robe on, fastened the belt, then walked to the mirror to see herself. It was nothing flashy, just a common black and white soul reaper kimono, but it fitted her fine. The problem was her face. She quickly ran a brush through her disheveled hair, and that made a nice change, but there was nothing to do about the black shadows of sleep-deprivation under her eyes. She could only hope Kurosaki-kun wouldn't notice...

She went looking for him, feeling his consoling spiritual pressure close. She found him sitting under a tree. He has changed back to his shikai form, with Zangetsu's red belt running across his chest, but the sword itself was laid down next to him on the grass. Though he was awake, his head was wobbling, with his eyes dropping low, and he only realized her presence when she was already standing next to him. They smiled at each other, and Orihime dropped to her knees next to him, joining him in the welcome cool shadow of the tree.

'Did everything go fine? In Hueco Mundo, I mean.'

'Yeah... I managed.'

'Is Nel-chan ok?'

'She's fine. She may seem helpless but she is actually a survivor type.' Ichigo said, stifling a yawn. 'Sorry... guess I'm a little spent.'

'Do you want me to try restoring you reiatsu?'

'No! Absolutely not! You've worked enough for today. Let's just sit here a little longer... I'll pull myself together in no time. It won't be a big deal if we're late a little.'

'Sure.' she answered, secretly being real glad. Now that she was actually sitting down, her tiredness finally caught up with her. She crawled closer to the tree, to be able to lean against the trunk next to Ichigo.

'I'm so glad you're here. I've been worried.' she admitted, closing her eyes to let them rest.

'Me too. It always worries me to be far from you.' Ichigo admitted. His tone was just a murmur, like he was speaking from far away. Orihime instinctively pulled closer.

'Really?'

'Of course. How can I keep my promise of protecting you, if we're apart?'

'That is a problem.' she allowed. Even in her drowsy state she could tell that this was an important conversation, probably a once in a lifetime opportunity. If only she wasn't this tired. She sensed that her answer wasn't at all fulfilling, but nothing more fitting came to her mind, so she remained silent. Somehow, it was comfortable. She shook herself after a little time, remembering his presence.

'Kurosaki-kun?'

No answer came.

…...

Rukia, Renji, Chad and Uryu separated during their search, each searching for the two familiar spiritual pressures according to their separate customs. Weather by chance, or merely by knowing the place more, it was Rukia who found them first. Leaded by his spiritual pressure, she came to a small garden, not far from squad 4's barracks, and she finally spotted the top of his orange head sticking out from behind a large tree. She slowly neared, and walked around the thick trunk. She inhaled a sharp breath, excitement running through her veins at the impossible sight before her.

She had found them both. Ichigo and Orihime were there, together. The boy's back was leaning against the tree-trunk, his arms cradling the girl lying across his lap. Orihime's head was resting right above his heart, and his head lolled down to find a pillow on top of hers. Her one hand was wrapped tightly into the front of his robe, while her other held the handle of Zangetsu, the mighty weapon lying innocently next to them. Their eyes were closed, their expressions that of complete peace. Their breathing came out in small, synchronized huffs as they slept soundly. Two weary souls seeking and finding comfort in each other.

Rukia couldn't believe what she saw. Of course she knew about Orihime's feelings towards the substitute, and she suspected that they were returned (hidden somewhere), but she never heard a word about them being on this level of closeness... This was big news!

While she was busy being stunned, Ichigo suddenly stirred. He lifted his head, like he had felt the watching eyes on himself. His own eyes fell on the petite form of the shinigami, looking weary, in a still sleep-dazed way. A wide grin spread across Rukia's face.

'Well what do you know? The smooth operator!' she said, then raised her voice to shout out for the others. 'Guys! Guess what? I've find...'

'Oh, no you don't!' Ichigo hissed. The only though inside his slowly rebooting mind was to stop the annoying Midget in calling other witnesses to ruin their stolen moment of well-deserved peace. Rukia's eyes widened with surprise as red light engulfed her completely, and the words were struck inside her mouth as it was suddenly bind. Along with the rest of her body.

_'No way!'_ she thought._ '__Without an incantation?'_

The paralyzing spell was strong, even though it was only a low level bakudo. It had Ichigo's strong spiritual pressure behind it, fully concentrated this time. Rukia could hardly breath. Ichigo ignored her state, and turned to the girl lying still asleep in his arms.

'Inoue...' he called while gently shaking her shoulder.

She didn't stir. He tried again.

'Inoue!'

'Mmm...' she moaned as though she was in pain. 'Please try putting some red-bean paste on it Ayasegawa-san. That should stop the bleeding for now.I'll be with you shortly, I'm finishing the healing of Captain Hitsugaya right now...' she mumbled, still half sleeping. 'Really, Captain Unohana! I heard dark chocolate can work wonders on post-traumatic depression!'

Ichigo stifled a smile, and shook her more vigorously.

'Inoue, it's me. I'm sorry... you must wake up!'

'Kurosaki-kun?' she finally opened her eyes, blinking rapidly. 'Where are we? What happened?

'Er... I think we must have fallen asleep.'

'Oh...'

She blushed, but he was smiling warmly at her, and that reassured her.

'I'm sorry...' she started.

'I'm not!' Ichigo grinned.

'But the celebration...'

'I guess there's nothing to do about it now. Did you have a decent sleep?'

She thought about it.

'Yeah...'

'Then it's all right.'

They smiled at each other again. Some noise startled them, and Orihime now noticed the presence of the struggling Rukia.

'Rukia! What happened?' she asked. Her first reaction was that of alarm, but her second was the return of the former blush, in new intensity. She was still well inside the cage of Ichigo's arms.

'Oh, yeah...' Ichigo shook himself. He quickly lifted the spell with a casual wave of his hand. Rukia's heaving body fell to the ground. 'Sorry about that, Rukia... We can find the others now. I just couldn't let you compromise poor Inoue like that. And I admit it... You were absolutely right. Kido CAN be handy...'

…...

_A/N: Just so you know, I really like Rukia's character (as I gave evidence before), so I'm not bitching her or something. I just thought this was funny. I hope you liked it, and please review!_


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